CHRIST IN ALL THE SERI

SENIOR DIVIM



275, EIRST QUARTER, 19

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1.4 ,

THE BLESSING OF DAILY STUDY

"The beauty and riches of the word have a transforming influence on mind

and character."—Christ's

Object Lessons,

page 132.

"There is nothing more calculated to strengthen the intellect than the study

of the Scriptures. No other book is so potent to elevate the thoughts, to give

vigor to the faculties, as the broad, ennobling truths of the Bible. If God's

word were studied as it should be, men would have a breadth of mind, a

nobility of character, and a stability of purpose rarely seen in these times."—

Steps

to Christ,

page go.

My Daily Lesson Study Pledge

As one who greatly desires to improve his knowledge of the Scriptures, I pledge

myself to the careful and prayerful study of some portion of my Sabbath school

lesson each day of the week.

Name

Lesson Titles for the Quarter

The Attitude of Jesus Toward the Holy Scriptures

The Testimony of the New Testament to Messianic Prophecy

Prophecies of the Messiah in the Book of Genesis

Exodus, the Book of Redemption

Access to God Through the Atonement, in Leviticus

Glimpses of the Messiah in the Book of Numbers

The Promised Deliverer in Deuteronomy

Redemption in the Historical Books: Joshua and Ruth

Christ in the Psalms

10.

The Messiah in the Prophecies of Isaiah

11.

Christ in Daniel and Some of the Minor Prophets

12.

The Victorious Christ in the Book of Revelation

13.

We Have Found the Messiah

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Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly

CHRIST IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

"Through patriarchs and prophets, as

well as through types and symbols, God

spoke to the world concerning the coming

of a Deliverer from sin. A long line of

inspired prophecy pointed to the advent of

'the Desire of all nations.'

"—Prophets and

Kings,

page 697.

A complete coverage of references to

Christ in all the Scriptures would involve

a study of Biblical history, emblems, typi-

cal names, places, and persons. We, there-

fore, must confine ourselves to a few arbi-

trarily chosen pictures of Christ in the

sacred pages.

There is a clear outline picture running

through the Scriptures, of the Christ that

was to come, and the Christ who is to come

the second time in glory. The promises of

the first advent, some of them studied in

these lessons, were fulfilled. Just as surely

will those related to the second coming be

fulfilled Some prophecies involve both the

first and second advents. May we all

through this study be drawn closer to Christ.

Lesson 1, for January 4, 1964

The Attitude of Jesus Toward the Holy Scriptures

MEMORY VERSE:

"And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded

unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." Luke 24:27.

STUDY HELPS:

"The Desire of Ages," pages 795-801; "S.D.A. Bible Commentary."

AIM:

To discover our Lord's attitude toward the Holy Scriptures, including the

prophecies, and His manner of applying the Messianic prophecies to Himself.

DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD

Check Here

Sabbath afternoon: General survey.

❑

Wednesday: Questions 11-13.

❑

Sunday: Questions 1-3.

❑

Thursday:



Read study helps.

❑

Monday: Questions 4-7.

❑

Friday:



Review entire lesson.

❑

Tuesday: Questions 8-10.

❑

Lesson Outline

Introduction

I. Our Lord's Regard for the Holy

Scriptures

1. The importance of Moses' testi-

mony. Luke 16:31.

The relation between the words of

Moses and of Christ. John 5:46, 47.

The significance of prophecy to the

risen Christ. Luke 24:27.

II. Our Lord's Reliance on the Power of

the Word of God

The temptation of Jesus. Matt.

4:3, 6, 9.

[

]

The reactions of Jesus. Matt. 4:4,

7, 10.

The source of His victory. Deut.

8:3; 6:16, 13, 14.

The revelation of Jesus. John 5:39.

III. Our Lord's Use of Specific Scriptures

His references to Abraham, Moses,

and David. Matt. 22:45; John

5:46; 8:56.

His public application of Isaiah's

prophecy. Luke 4:16-21.

10.

His use of prophecies relating to

His sacrifice. Luke 22:37.

IV. Our Lord's Consciousness of

Prophetic Fulfillment in Himself

11.

A prediction of the disciples' disap-

pointment. Matt. 26:31.

12.

A prediction of His vicarious suf-

fering. Mark 14:48, 49.

13.

His emphasis on belief in

Messianic prophecy. Luke

24:25, 26.

THE LESSON

Introduction

Jesus and the Scriptures.

"In childhood,

youth, and manhood, Jesus studied the

Scriptures. As a little child He was daily

at His mother's knee taught from the scrolls

of the prophets. In His youth the early

morning and the evening twilight often

found Him alone on the mountainside or

among the trees of the forest, spending a

quiet hour in prayer and the study of God's

word. During His ministry His intimate

acquaintance with the Scriptures testifies

to His diligence in their study. And since

He gained knowledge as we may gain it,

His wonderful power, both mental and

spiritual, is a testimony to the value of

the Bible as a means of education."-Edu-

cation,

page 185.

Our Lord's Regard for the Holy

Scriptures

In one of His parables, how

much importance did Jesus attach to

the teachings of Moses? Luke 16:31.

NOTE.

-Moses "was permitted to look

down the stream of time and behold the

first advent of our

Saviour."-Patriarchs

and Prophets,

page 475. He saw the life,

work, death of Jesus, and the carrying of

the gospel to the whole world, culminating

in the establishment of the kingdom of

God. His writings therefore bear peculiar

testimony to the Lord Jesus Christ. "There

arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto

Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face."

Deut. 34:10.

In what words did Jesus as-

sociate belief in Moses with belief in

Himself? John 5:46, 47.

Nora.-"The ground of Jewish unbelief

having been thus exposed, the discourse con-

cludes by setting the Jews under the con-

demnation, not of Jesus, but of their own

Scriptures and of their own chosen advo-

cate. . . . There is an essential unity be-

tween the work of the Lawgiver and the

work of the Giver of life."-Sir Edwin

Hoskyns,

The Fourth Gospel,

page 275.

To strengthen the faith of two

disciples after the resurrection, to

whose writings did Jesus refer, and

what particular features of these writ-

ings did He mention? Luke 24:27.

NOTE.

-"After His resurrection He ex-

plained to the disciples in 'all the prophets'

`the things concerning Himself.' Luke 24:27.

The Saviour had spoken through all the

prophets. The Spirit of Christ which was

in them' testified beforehand the suffer-

ings of Christ, and the glory that should

follow.' 1 Peter

1:11."-The Desire of Ages,

page 234.

Our Lord's Reliance on the Power

of the Word of God

On what three points did the

devil tempt Jesus? Matt. 4:3, 6, 9.

NOTE.—" 'If Thou be the Son of God,

command this stone that it be made bread.'

Such an act of creative power, urges the

tempter, would be conclusive evidence of

divinity. It would bring the controversy to

an end."—The

Desire of Ages,

page 119.

" 'Then the devil taketh Him up into the

Holy City, and setteth Him on a pinnacle

of the temple, and saith unto Him, If Thou

be the Son of God, cast Thyself down: for

it is written, "He shall give His angels

charge concerning Thee: and in their hands

they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time

Thou dash Thy foot against a stone."—

Ibid.,

p. 124.

"Placing Jesus upon a high mountain,

Satan caused the kingdoms of the world, in

all their glory, to pass in panoramic view

before Him. The'sunlight lay on templed

cities, marbled palaces, fertile fields, and

fruit-laden vineyards. The traces of evil

were hidden. The eyes of Jesus, so lately

greeted by gloom and desolation, now gazed

upon a scene of unsurpassed loveliness and

prosperity. Then the tempter's voice was

heard: 'All this power will I give Thee, and

the glory of them: for that is delivered unto

me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If

Thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be

Thine.' "—Ibid.,

page 129.

What three answers did Jesus

give? Matt. 4:4, 7, 10.

NOTE.—"Jesus met Satan with the words

of Scripture. 'It is written,' He said. In

every temptation the weapon of His war-

fare was the word of God."—The

Desire of

Ages,

page 120.

From what source did Jesus

draw these answers? Deut. 8:3; 6:16,

13, 14.

NoTE.—Jesus had not received a formal

rabbinical education, yet He had an ex-

tensive and intimate knowledge of the

Scriptures. "How knoweth this man let-

ters?" the startled Jews asked one another.

John 7:15.

"Since He gained knowledge as we may

do, His intimate acquaintance with the

Scriptures shows how diligently His early

years were given to the study of God's

word."—The

Desire of Ages,

page 70.

"The Scriptures of the Old Testament

were His constant study, and the words,

`Thus saith the Lord,' were ever upon His

lips. . . . Jesus seemed to know the Scrip-

tures from beginning to end, and He pre-

sented them in their true import."—Ibid.,

pp. 84, 85.

What is the great central theme

of the prophets of old? John 5:39.

Compare Acts 10:43.

Our Lord's Use of Specific

Scriptures

Who were some of the great

worthies of the Old Testament who

were given glimpses of the Messiah?

Matt. 22:45; John 5:46; 8:56.

NOTE.—"Abraham rejoiced to see My

day;" "Moses . . . wrote of Me;" "David

. . . call[ed] him [Christ] Lord."

"We have in these words of our Saviour

abundant authority for seeking Him in the

Old Testament, and also a confirmation of

the truth of the Scriptures themselves. . . .

"Very few realize how abundant are our

Lord's quotations from the Old Testament.

He refers to twenty Old Testament char-

acters. He quotes from nineteen different

books."—A. M. Hodgkin,

Christ in All the

Scriptures,

page 2.

What Messianic prophecy did

Jesus publicly apply to Himself? Luke

4:16-21. Compare Isaiah 61:1, 2.

NoTE.—"When a rabbi was present at

the synagogue, he was expected to deliver

the sermon, and any Israelite might give the

reading from the prophets. Upon this Sab-

bath Jesus was requested to take part in

the service. . . .

"Jesus stood before the people as a liv-

ing expositor of the prophecies concerning

Himself. Explaining the words He had

read, He spoke of the Messiah as a re-

liever of the oppressed, a liberator of cap-

tives, a healer of the afflicted, restoring

sight to the blind, and revealing to the

world the light of truth. His impressive

manner and the wonderful import of His

words thrilled the hearers with a power

they had never felt before. The tide of

divine influence broke every barrier down;

like Moses, they beheld the Invisible. As

their hearts were moved upon by the Holy

Spirit, they responded with fervent amens

and praises to the Lord."—The

Desire of

Ages,

page 237.

10.

What passage from Isaiah did

Jesus quote as He explained to the dis-

ciples His approaching death for the

sins of the world? Luke 22:37. Com-

pare Isa. 53:11, 12.

NOTE.—"Christ's position between the

thieves was to indicate that He was the

greatest criminal of the three. Thus was

fulfilled the scripture, 'He was numbered

with the transgressors.' Isa.

53:12."—The

Desire of Ages,

page 751.

As the crucifixion approached there was

a marked solemnity in Christ's use of Mes-

sianic scripture. "Behold, we go up to

Jerusalem, and all things that are written

by the prophets concerning the Son of man

shall be accomplished." Luke 18:31.

Three times, on the night of the betrayal,

Jesus referred to the fulfillment of prophecy.

Matt. 26:31, 53, 54; Mark 14:48, 49. Three

of the seven cries from the cross were

couched in words of Scripture, and the

Saviour died with words of Scripture on

His lips.

Our Lord's Consciousness of

Prophetic Fulfillment in Himself

11.

In the words of what prophecy

did Jesus indicate the effect of His

approaching humiliation? Matt. 26:

31. Compare Zech. 13:7.

"From a worldly point of

view, money is power; but

from the Christian stand-

point, love is power."—T

es-

timonies,

vol. 4, p. 138.

12.

What familiar phrase did Jesus

use in pointing to prophetic fulfill-

ments? Mark 14:48, 49.

NorE.—"The Scriptures must be ful-

filled." This expression was used by Jesus

in connection with prophecies of His im-

pending sufferings and death. Such proph-

ecies as Psalm 22:6-8 and Isaiah 53:7 were

familiar to Jesus, and He gave them a

Messianic application. In Luke 22:37 He

referred to Isaiah 53:12 in this way: "This

that is written must yet be accomplished in

Me." In Luke 24:44, referring to such

prophecies in general, He said after His res-

urrection, "All things must be fulfilled."

13.

In what strong terms did Jesus

stress the importance of belief in Mes-

sianic prophecy? Luke 24:25, 26.

NorE.—The word rendered "fools" here

signifies

not applying the mind,

un-

worthy lack of understanding.

"Beginning at Moses, the very Alpha of

Bible history, Christ expounded in all the

Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

Had He first made Himself known to them,

their hearts would have been satisfied. In

the fullness of their joy they would have

hungered for nothing more. But it was

necessary for them to understand the wit-

ness borne to Him by the types and proph-

ecies of the Old Testament. Upon these

their faith must be established. Christ per-

formed no miracle to convince them, but

it was His first work to explain the Scrip-

tures. They had looked upon His death as

the destruction of all their hopes. Now He

showed from the prophets that this was the

very strongest evidence for their faith."—

The Desire of Ages,

pages 796, 799.

Lesson 2, for January 11, 1964

The Testimony of the New Testament to Messianic Prophecy

MEMORY VERSE:

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God

hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Acts 2:36.

STUDY HELPS:

"Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 366-368; "The Acts of the

Apostles," pages 221, 222; "Gospel Workers," pages 147, 148; "S.D.A. Bible

Commentary."

AIM:

To show that the New Testament writers had the same faith as Jesus in

Messianic prophecy.

DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD

Check Here

Check

Here

Sabbath afternoon: General survey.

❑

Wednesday: Questions 11-13.

❑

Sunday:



Questions 1-3.

❑

Thursday:



Read study helps.

❑

Monday: Questions 4-7.

❑

Friday:



Read study helps.

❑

Tuesday:



Questions 8-10._

❑

Lesson Outline

Introduction

I. The Witness at Pentecost

Joel and the outpouring of God's

Spirit. Acts 2:16, 17.

The words of the psalmist. Acts

2:23-27; Ps. 16:8-10.

David's words about the Conquering

One. Acts 2:34-36; Ps. 110:1.

II. The Witness Continued After

Pentecost

Jesus declared to be the Son of the

God of Abraham. Acts 3:13-15.

Testified to by all the prophets.

Acts 3:24.

Christ in Isaiah. Acts 8:35.

7. An application of the promises to

Israel. Acts 13:32-35.

III. Paul's Use of the Old Testament

8. Preaching habitually from Scripture.

Acts 17:2-4.

9. Christ as the focal center of proph-

ecy. Acts 26:19-23.

10. Preaching Christ to the Jews. Acts

28:23, 24.

IV. Other Evidence of Faith in

Messianic Prophecy

11. The prophets inspired by the Spirit

of Christ. 1 Peter 1:10-12.

12. The prophecy of Enoch. Jude

14, 15.

13. The spirit of prophecy, the testi-

mony of Jesus. Rev. 19:10.

THE LESSON

Introduction



ecies. Messianic prophecies are those which

have some teaching regarding the Messiah.

Having seen the vital place given by



They accepted Jesus not only because

Christ to the prophetic word concerning they "were eyewitnesses of His majesty,"

Himself, we now observe the importance but also because His birth, works, death,

which the apostles and New Testament resurrection, and ascension were fulfillments

writers attached to Old Testament proph- of prophecy. They therefore accepted with

assurance the predictions of His return to

judge the world. "We have . . . a more

sure word of prophecy," declared Peter.

If Christ and His apostles so completely

accepted the prophetic picture of Messiah,

we too may have confidence in it.

The Witness at Pentecost

What words of Peter indicate

his belief that Pentecost was the ful-

fillment of Old Testament prophecy?

Acts 2:16, 17.

NoTE.—"In answer to the accusation of

the priests [that the believers were drunk]

Peter showed that this demonstration was

in direct fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel,

wherein he foretold that such power would

come upon men to fit them for a special

work."—The

Acts of the Apostles,

page 41.

To what Old Testament predic-

tion did Peter refer when he spoke

of Christ's crucifixion, resurrection,

and ascension to the right hand of

God? Acts 2:23-27; Ps. 16:8-10.

What impressive words of David

did Peter use to prove that Jesus of

Nazareth was both Lord and Christ?

Acts 2:34-36; Ps. 110:1.

NoTE.—"In NT times

Yeshia`,

'Jesus,'

was a common given name for Jewish boys.

It expressed the parents' faith in God and

in His promise of One who would bring

salvation to Israel. The angel Gabriel in-

structed Joseph to call Mary's first-born by

this name, the reason given being, 'He shall

save His people from their sins' (Mt 1:21).

`Christ' was not a personal name by which

people knew Him while on earth, but a

title used to identify Him as the One in

whom the Messianic promises and proph-

ecies of the OT met their fulfillment. To

those who believed in Him as sent of God

He was

the

Christ, that is, the Messiah, the

One 'anointed' by God to be the Saviour

of the world. When used together, as in

Mt 1:18; 16:20; Mk 1:1, the 2 names

Jesus and Christ constitute a confession of

faith that Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of

Mary, is indeed the Christ, the Messiah

(Mt 1:1; Acts

2:38)."—The S.D.A. Bible

Dictionary,

pp. 565, 566.

The name "Christ" means "Messiah,"

"Anointed" (John 1:41, margin). In Him

the highest offices of the old covenant were

united—prophet (1 Kings 19:16), priest

(Lev. 8:12), and king (1 Sam. 10:1), and

He became the way of salvation. The

title "Lord" is taken from Psalm 110:1,

from which Peter is quoting, thus present-

ing Jesus as the Conquering One.

The Witness Continued After

Pentecost

What relationship did Peter say

existed between the God of Abraham,

Isaac, and Jacob, and Jesus whom the

Jews slew? Acts 3:13-15.

NoTE.—"When Jesus died, the priests

thought that no more miracles would be

performed among them, that the excite-

ment would die out and the people would

again turn to the traditions of men. But

lo! right among them the disciples were

working miracles, and the people were filled

with amazement. Jesus had been crucified,

and they wondered where His followers had

obtained this power. When He was alive,

they thought that He imparted power to

them; but when He died, they expected

the miracles to cease. Peter understood their

perplexity and said to them, 'Ye men of

Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look

ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own

power or holiness we had made this man

to walk? The God of Abraham, and of

Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fa-

thers, bath glorified His Son Jesus; whom

ye delivered up, and denied Him in the

presence of Pilate, when he was determined

to let Him go. But ye denied the Holy One

and the Just, and desired a murderer to be

granted unto you; and killed the Prince of

life, whom God hath raised from the dead;

whereof we are witnesses. And His name

through faith in His name hath made this

man strong, whom ye see and know.'

"—

Early Writings,

pages 192, 193.

[

How many of the prophets did

Peter say had made predictions con-

cerning the days of the Messiah? Acts

3:24.

NoTE.—"All the prophets from Samuel."

"Samuel is named here probably because

with him the prophets of Israel first ap-

pear as a group, particularly in connection

with the schools of the prophets. In the

3d century A.D. Judah ha-Nasi, the compiler

of the Mishnah, referred to Samuel as `the

teacher of the prophets,' . . . and this may

well represent a view current in Peter's

day."—S.D.A. Bible Commentary,

on Acts

3:24.

What explanation of Isaiah 53:7,

8 did Philip give to the Ethiopian

eunuch? Acts 8:35.

NoTE.—"To preach Jesus is the work, not

only of every preacher of the gospel, but

of every Christian, whether the preaching

is done by word or by the witness of the

daily life. Whatever the announced subject

of a sermon, its burden should be Jesus

Christ."—S.D.A.

Bible Commentary,

Acts 8:35.

When at Antioch, of what did

Paul say the resurrection of Jesus was

a fulfillment? Acts 13:32-35.

NoTE.—It is clear from the whole con-

text (Acts 13:32-37) that Paul expanded his

sermon on the promises to include the resur-

rection and divine Sonship.

Paul's Use of the Old Testament

What customary use did Paul

make of the Messianic prophecies, and

with what results? Acts 17:2-4.

NOTE.—"In preaching to the Thessaloni-

ans, Paul appealed to the Old Testament

prophecies concerning the Messiah. Christ

in His ministry had opened the minds of

His disciples to these prophecies; 'beginning

at Moses and all the prophets, He ex-

pounded unto them in all the Scriptures

the things concerning Himself.' Luke 24:27.

Peter in preaching Christ had produced his

evidence from the Old Testament. Stephen

had pursued the same course. And Paul

also in his ministry appealed to the scrip-

tures foretelling the birth, sufferings, death,

resurrection, and ascension of Christ. By

the inspired testimony of Moses and the

prophets he clearly proved the identity of

Jesus of Nazareth with the Messiah and

showed that from the days of Adam it

was the voice of Christ which had been

speaking through patriarchs and prophets."

--The Acts of the Apostles,

pages 221, 222.

What witness did Paul bear be-

fore King Agrippa? Acts 26:19-23.

NoTE.—Of Paul's early preaching in Da-

mascus we are told: "In his presentation of

the gospel he sought to make plain the

prophecies relating to the first advent of

Christ. He showed conclusively that these

prophecies had been literally fulfilled in

Jesus of Nazareth. The foundation of his

faith was the sure word of prophecy."—

The Acts of the Apostles,

page 125.

In Acts 26 Paul, advanced in years, bear-

ing battle scars, and in chains, stands be-

fore Festus, Agrippa, and Bernice. He is

still " 'saying none other things than those

which the prophets and Moses did say

should come: that Christ should suffer, and

that He should be the first that should rise

from the dead, and should show light unto

the people, and to the Gentiles.'

"—Ibid.,

p. 437.

10.

How, and with what result, did

Paul appeal to the Jews who came to

hear him in Rome? Acts 28:23, 24.

NoTE.—It was now some thirty years

after the crucifixion, and this great warrior

is still testifying of the kingdom of God,

"persuading them concerning Jesus, both

out of the law of Moses, and out of the

prophets, from morning till evening." Some

believed, some did not. The apostles drew

their most convincing evidence that Jesus

was the Messiah from the prophecies of

the Old Testament.

Other Evidence of Faith in

Messianic Prophecy

11.

How did Peter show the con-

nection between the spirit of prophecy

in the Old Testament and Christ's suf-

fering and glorification? 1 Peter 1:

10-12.

NoTE.—"The

Spirit of Christ."

"It was

Christ that spoke to His people through

the prophets. The apostle Peter, writing to

the Christian church, says that the proph-

ets 'prophesied of the grace that should

come unto you: searching what, or what

manner of time the

Spirit of Christ

which

was in them did signify, when it testified

beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the

glory that should follow.' 1 Peter 1:10, 11.

It is the voice of Christ that speaks to us

through the Old Testament. 'The testimony

of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.'

"—

Patriarchs and Prophets,

pages 366, 367.

12.

Who did Jude say prophesied

of the coming of the Lord in judg-

ment? Jude 14, 15.

NorE.—Whether Jude quoted from a

noncanonical book, or from a prophecy

orally preserved, is not certain. The point

is that the Holy Spirit led him to quote

these words.

"Enoch became a preacher of righteous-

ness, making known to the people what

God had revealed to him. Those who feared

the Lord sought out this holy man, to share

his instruction and his prayers. He labored

publicly also, bearing God's messages to

all who would hear the words of warning.

His labors were not restricted to the Seth-

ites. In the land where Cain had sought to

flee from the divine Presence, the prophet

of God made known the wonderful scenes

that had passed before his vision. 'Behold,'

he declared, 'the Lord cometh with ten

thousands of His saints, to execute judg-

ment upon all, and to convince all that are

ungodly among them of all their ungodly

deeds.'

"—Patriarchs and Prophets,

page 86.

13.

What spirit motivated and char-

acterized all true prophets of God?

Rev. 19:10.

NoTE.—"The

testimony of Jesus."

All

true prophecy is inspired by the Spirit of

Christ, who bestows this gift that prophets

may speak God's message when "moved by

the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:21. This has

been true through all ages and of the

remnant church of Revelation 12:17. The

messages of God's servants are thus "a more

sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do

well that ye take heed, as unto a light that

shineth in a dark place." 2 Peter 1:19.

Lesson 3, for January 18, 1964

Prophecies of the Messiah in the Book of Genesis

MEMORY VERSE:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things

were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made."

John 1:1-3.

STUDY HELPS:

"Prophets and Kings," pages 681-685; "Patriarchs and Prophets,"

pages 65, 66; "S.D.A. Bible Commentary."

AIM:

To make clear that even the story of the fall of man is brightened with a

promise of deliverance, and that the Father and the Son are seen as creative

and redemptive in all Their works.

[103

DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD

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Sabbath afternoon: General survey.

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Sunday: Questions 1-3.

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Monday: Questions 4-6.

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Tuesday: Questions 7-9.

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Wednesday: Questions 10-12.

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Thursday: Read study helps.

Friday: Review entire lesson.

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Lesson Outline

Introduction

I. "In the Beginning God"

The Eternal One. Gen.

1:1.

Sovereign of the universe. John

1:1.

Universal Creator. Heb. 1:2.

II. "In the Beginning Was the Word"

The Word in creation. John 1:3;

Col. 1 : 16.

The obedience of One. Rom. 5:19.

The Source of grace and righteous-

ness. Rom. 5:12, 15, 17, 18, 21.

III. The Revelation of Redemption

Conquest through suffering. Gen.

3:15.

Blessing through the seed of faith.

Gen. 22:18; 26:4; 28:14.

Glory and honor through the cross.

Heb. 2:9-14.

IV. The Messiah King

10.

The prophecy regarding Shiloh.

Gen. 49:10.

11.

The Son of the Highest. Luke

1:32-35.

12.

The coming of the King. Gen. 28:

12, 13 ; John 1:51.

THE LESSON

NOTE.

-Genesis

does not attempt to prove

that God exists, but assumes this fact to be

self-evident. See Gen. 1:1; Rom. 1:19, 20.

"The account of creation reveals the

unity, power, and personality of God. It de-

nies atheism-in the beginning

God.

denies polytheism-one God, not many.

It denies pantheism-God is before all things

and

apart

from them. It denies materialism

-matter is not God. It denies the eternity

of matter-in the beginning God

created

it.

It denies fatalism-God, here as every-

where, acts in the freedom of His Eternal

Being."-A. M. Hodgkin,

Christ in All the

Scriptures,

pages 9, 10.

2. In the beginning, what was

Christ's relation to the Father? John

1:1.

Introduction

"Prophecies of redemption were man's

hope after the Fall. The dreadful catastro-

phe of the Fall plunged our first parents

into darkness. But the gloom was not un-

relieved by some rays of hope. The story

of the first four chapters of Genesis has

been summarized as 'Creation, Desolation,

Preservation.' "-G. Campbell Morgan,

The

Graded Bible, vol.

1, pp. 2-5.

"The first intimation of redemption was

communicated in the sentence pronounced

upon Satan in the garden. . . . This sen-

tence, uttered in the hearing of our first

parents, was to them a promise. While it

foretold war between man and Satan, it

declared that the power of the great ad-

versary would finally be broken.... Though

they must suffer from the power of their

mighty foe, they could look forward to

final

victory."-Patriarchs and Prophets,

pages 65, 66.

"In the Beginning God"

1. How does the Bible first intro-

duce the idea of God to man? Gen.

1:1.

NoTE.-"The Sovereign of the universe

was not alone in His work of beneficence.

He had an associate-a co-worker who

could appreciate His purposes, and could

share His joy in giving happiness to created

beings. . . . Christ, the Word, the Only

Begotten of God, was one with the eternal

Father—one in nature, in character, in pur-

pose—the only Being that could enter into

all the counsels and purposes of God."—

Patriarchs and Prophets,

page 34.

In what work were the Father

and the Son engaged "in the begin-

ning"? Heb. 1:2. Compare Gen. 1:26.

"In the Beginning Was the Word"

How is the creative activity of

Christ described? John 1:3; Col. 1:16.

NoTE.—All things.

"The hand that sus-

tains the worlds in space, the hand that

holds in their orderly arrangement and tire-

less activity all things throughout the uni-

verse of God, is the hand that was nailed

to the cross for

us."—Education,

page 132.

How are the disobedience of

Adam and the obedience of Christ

contrasted? Rom. 5:19. Compare Gen.

3:6, 7.

NorE.—Man took the forbidden fruit, and

failed. Jesus "took upon Him . . . the like-

ness of men" (Phil. 2:7), and succeeded.

The one was a fall from sinlessness; the

other was a restoration to justification and

righteousness through faith.

What passed upon all men as a

result of Adam's sin? By what may

men escape condemnation? Rom. 5:

12, 15, 17, 18, 21.

NOTE.—"This is the grace of God in its

peculiar NT sense. It is not merely God's

favor toward those who might merit His

approval, it is His unlimited, all-inclusive,

transforming love toward sinful men and

women; and the good news of this grace,

as revealed in Jesus Christ, is 'the power

of God unto salvation' (ch. 1:16). It is not

merely God's mercy and willingness to for-

give, it is an active, energizing, transform-

ing power to save. . . . 'Divine grace is the

great element of saving power' (GW 70).

`Christ gave His life to make it possible for

man to be restored to the image of God. It

is the power of His grace that draws men

together in obedience to the truth' (CT

249)."—S.D

.A. Bible Commentary,

on Rom.

3:24.

The Revelation of Redemption

What intimation of deliverance

came to our first parents immediately

after their fall? Gen. 3:15.

What other prophecies in Gene-

sis imply a future victory through the

faithful seed of the woman? Gen.

22:18; 26:4; 28:14. Compare Gal. 3:

14, 16.

NOTE.—"There was given to Abraham

the promise . . . of a numerous posterity

and of national greatness: 'I will make of

thee a great nation, and I will bless thee,

and make thy name great; and thou shalt

be a blessing.' And to this was added the

assurance, precious above every other to

the inheritor of faith, that of his line the

Redeemer of the world should come: 'In

thee shall all families of the earth be

blessed.'"—Patriarchs and Prophets,

page

125.

In Galatians 3:14 Paul declares plainly

"that the blessing of Abraham might come

on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ." He

the

Seed through whom redemption for

all who would accept it was to come.

How does the epistle to the He-

brews connect the sufferings and vic-

tory of Jesus with the defeat of the

devil and the deliverance of the race?

Heb. 2:9-14.

NOTE.—"When the Saviour finally ap-

peared 'in the likeness of men' (Philippians

2:7),

and began His ministry of grace,

Satan could but bruise the heel, while by

[ 12 ]

"The most difficult sermon to

preach and the hardest to

practice is self-denial."--

Counsels on Stewardship,

page 29.

every act of humiliation or suffering Christ

was bruising the head of His adversary. The

anguish that sin has brought was poured

into the bosom of the Sinless; yet while

Christ endured the contradiction of sin-

ners against Himself, He was paying the

debt for sinful man and breaking the bond-

age in which humanity had been held.

Every pang of anguish, every insult, was

working out the deliverance of the race."—

Prophets and Kings,

page 701.

The Messiah King

10.

In his blessing upon Judah, to

whom did Jacob say the people would

gather? Gen. 49:10.

NOTE.—"This same blessed hope ["Your

father Abraham rejoiced to see My day."

John 8:56] was foreshadowed in the bene-

diction pronounced by the dying patriarch

Jacob upon his son Judah: 'Judah, thou art

he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy

hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies;

thy father's children shall bow down be-

fore thee. . . . The scepter shall not de-

part from Judah, nor a lawgiver from be-

tween his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto

Him shall the gathering of the people be.'"

—Prophets and Kings,

page 683.

"Shiloh."

Of the presentation of Jesus in

the temple we read: "In the Child of Beth-

lehem was veiled the glory before which

angels bow. This unconscious babe was the

promised seed, to whom the first altar at

the gate of Eden pointed. This was Shiloh,

the peace giver."—The

Desire of Ages,

page 52.

11.

What permanent kingly power

and divine title were prophesied for

Jesus by the angel to Mary? Luke

1:32-35.

NoTE.—"Son

of the Highest."

The first

occurrence of such a term is in Mark 5:7,

where the demoniac cried: 'What have I to

do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of the most

high God?" Melchizedek was called "the

priest of the most high God." Gen. 14:18.

Balaam's parable referred to "the Most

High" (Num. 24:16), as did Moses in Deu-

teronomy 32:8. Mention of "the Most

High" is found in some form in the Psalms,

Isaiah, Daniel, and other books. The angel's

reference to Mary's Child as "the Son of

the Highest," and his statement, "The

power of the Highest shall overshadow

thee," though humanly incomprehensible,

would be unmistakable intimations of di-

vine Presence, especially in connection with

the title "the Son of God."

"These words [Luke 1:32, 33] Mary had

pondered in her heart; yet while she be-

lieved that her child was to be Israel's Mes-

siah, she did not comprehend His mission.

Now she did not understand His words ["I

must be about My Father's business"] ; but

she knew that He had disclaimed kinship

to Joseph, and had declared His Sonship to

God."—The

Desire of Ages,

page 82.

"The throne of His father David."

"The

Jewish nation had been preserved as a wit-

ness that Christ was to be born of the seed

of Abraham and of David's

line."—Ibid.,

44. The literal descent from David is seen

from Psalm 132:11; Acts 2:30; Romans 1:3.

Christ's enemies admitted that Messiah

would be David's Son. Luke 20:41-44.

12.

In what vision did Jacob be-

come acquainted with the plan of

salvation? Gen. 28:12, 13; John 1:51.

Nora.—"In this vision the plan of re-

demption was presented to Jacob, not fully,

but in such parts as were essential to him at

that time. The mystic ladder revealed to

him in his dream was the same to which

Christ referred in His conversation with

Nathanael. Said He, 'Ye shall see heaven

open, and the angels of God ascending and

descending upon the Son of man.' John

1:51. . . . The ladder represents Jesus, the

appointed medium of communication. . . .

Christ connects man in his weakness and

helplessness with the source of infinite

power. All this was revealed to Jacob in

his

dream."—Patriarchs and Prophets,

page

184.

13 3

Lesson 4, for January 25, 1964

Exodus, the Book of Redemption

MEMORY VERSE:

"I have surely seen the affliction of My people which are in Egypt,

and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sor-

rows; and I am come down to deliver them." Ex. 3:7, 8.

STUDY HELPS:

"Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 248-256, 273-280, 356-358; "The

Great Controversy," pages 420-422 (1950 subscription ed., pp. 413-416); "The

Desire of Ages," pages 75-83; "S.D.A. Bible Commentary."

AIM:

To show that in the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, and in the form of

worship established for the chosen people, God was setting forth in type and

symbol the great fact of final redemption through the Messiah.

DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD

Check Here

Check

Here

Sabbath afternoon: General survey.

❑

Wednesday: Questions 10-12.

❑

Sunday:



Questions 1-3.

❑

Thursday: Read study helps.

❑

Monday: Questions 4-6.

❑

Friday:



Review entire lesson.

❑

Tuesday: Questions 7-9.

❑

Lesson Outline

Introduction

I. The Great I AM

God's promise of deliverance. Ex.

3:1-8.

God makes known His name. Ex.

3:13-15; John 8:58.

Christ's titles for Himself. John

4:26; 6:35; 8:12; 10:9, 11; 11:25;

14:6; 15:1.

II. The Passover Lamb

Deliverance provided for all. Ex.

12:3, 4, 13.

Redemption available for all the

world. 1 Cor. 5:7, 8; John 1:29.

6. Lessons from type and antitype.

Ex. 12:5; 1 Peter 1:18, 19; Ex.

12:6; 1 Cor. 2:2; Ex. 12:46; John

19:36; Ex. 13:2; Num. 3:13; 1 Cor.

6:19, 20.

III. The Tabernacle

7. Its purpose. Ex. 25:8, 9; Heb. 8:5.

8. Its typical meaning. Heb. 9:24.

9. Its antitypical meaning. Heb. 6:

19, 20.

IV. The Ark and the Mercy Seat

10. Their relation to the work of Christ.

Ex. 25:10-22; Rom. 5:11.

11. The antitypical ark. Rev. 11:19.

12. The glory of God. Ex. 25:22; John

8:12.

THE LESSON

Introduction

The book of Exodus is dominated by the

great figure of Moses, the elect servant of

God and the savior of his people. He was

the human author of the Pentateuch. See

The Great Controversy,

page 434. He "re-

ceived the highest civil and military train-

ing," which, combined with his unusual

natural character and acquired characteris-

tics, fitted him "to take pre-eminence among

the great of the

earth."-Patriarchs and

Prophets,

pages 245, 246. He was so great

a leader in the deliverance of his people that

he became a type of the Christ, who was

to bring redemption within the reach of all.

See

The Desire of Ages,

pages 330, 480;

Deut. 18:15.

The Great I AM

In what way, and with what mes-

sage, did God appear to Moses as he

kept the flock in the desert of Horeb?

Ex. 3:1-8.

NoTE.—"I am come down to deliver them

out of the land of the Egyptians" set the

scene for the epic events connected with

the Exodus, the salvation of God's people

for the preservation of His truth in the

earth. The inspired song which Moses sang

(Ex. 15:1-19) to celebrate their deliverance,

had a prophetic significance. "That song

does not belong to the Jewish people alone.

It points forward to the destruction of all

the foes of righteousness and the final vic-

tory of the Israel of

God."—Patriarchs and

Prophets,

page 289. Compare Rev. 15: 2, 3.

As Moses returned to Egypt to

establish his authority as God's ap-

pointed deliverer, by what name was

the Deity to be known? What use

did Christ make of this name? Ex. 3:

13-15; John 8:58.

NoTE.—"I AM THAT I AM." This is the

name by which God made Himself known

to Abraham. Gen. 15:7. It signifies the

unchangeableness, the eternity, and the self-

existence of God. It lends significance to

Christ's claim: "Before Abraham was, I

am." To claim existence before Abraham

came into being was "understood by the

Jews as a claim to divinity."—S.D.A.

Bible

Commentary,

on John 8:58.

"The name of God, given to Moses to

express the idea of the eternal presence, had

been claimed as His own by this Galilean

Rabbi. He had announced Himself to be

the self-existent One, He who had been

promised to Israel, 'whose goings forth have

been from of old, from the days of eternity.'

Micah 5:2, margin."—The

Desire of Ages,

pages 469, 470.

What significant titles claimed

by Jesus are reminiscent of the "I

AM" of the Old Testament? John 4:

26; 6:35; 8:12; 10:9, 11; 11:25; 14:6;

15:1.

NoTE.—"I . . . am He [Messiah]" (John

4:26) ; "the Bread of life" (John 6:35) ;

"the Light of the world" (John 8:12) ; "the

Door" (John 10:9) ; "the Good Shepherd"

(John 10:11) ; "the resurrection, and the

life" (John 11:25); "the way, the truth, and

the life" (John 14:6) ; "the True Vine"

(John 15:1). While Jesus is not here specif-

ically claiming the titls "I AM," He is

nevertheless setting forth His timelessness,

His divinity, His whole redeeming work for

man. "It was He who declared Himself to

Moses as the I

AM."—The Desire of Ages,

page 52.

The Passover Lamb

What provision was made for

the Israelites to escape the visitation

of the tenth plague upon Egypt? Ex.

12:3, 4, 13.

NoTE.—The institution of this festival in

the "first month of the year" really meant

the beginning of a new life for this en-

slaved people who were to become the

chosen nation. It marked God's terrible

judgment on wicked Egypt, and His won-

derful deliverance of the Israelites. Before

the destroyer went forth, Egypt had been

repeatedly warned, and directions for pres-

ervation and flight were given to the chil-

dren of Israel. See

Patriarchs and Prophets,

page 274. The safety of "all the congrega-

tion of Israel" was provided for.

How does the New Testament

refer to the Passover lamb as a type

of the Lord Jesus Christ, through

whom redemption is provided for all

men? 1 Cor. 5:7, 8; John 1:29.

Mention as many striking com-

parisons as you can between the typi-

cal Passover lamb and the Lord Jesus

Christ as the Lamb of God.

[15

]

Answer.—a.

Ex. 12:5. The lamb was to

without blemish.

1 Peter 1:18, 19. "Ye

were not redeemed with corruptible things;

. . . but with the precious blood of Christ,

as of a lamb

without blemish

and

without

spot."

Ex. 12:6. A

slain

lamb availed to save

the Israelites from God's judgment on

Egypt. 1 Cor. 2:2. "I determined not to

know anything among you, save Jesus

Christ, and Him

crucified."

Ex. 12:46. "Neither shall ye

break a

bone thereof."

John 19:36. "That the scrip-

ture might be fulfilled, A bone of Him shall

not be broken."

Ex. 13:2 ; Num. 3:13. All the firstborn

redeemed by the blood of the lamb were to

be sanctified because "it is mine." There

was special significance in the sanctification

of the firstborn (see note below). 1 Cor.

6:19, 20. "Ye are not your own. For ye

are bought with a price: therefore glorify

God in your body, and in your spirit, which

are God's."

"The law for the presentation of the first-

born was made particularly significant.

While it was a memorial of the Lord's won-

derful deliverance of the children of Israel,

it prefigured a greater deliverance, to be

wrought out by the only-begotten Son of

God. As the blood sprinkled on the door-

posts had saved the first-born of Israel, so

the blood of Christ has power to save the

world."—The

Desire of Ages,

page 51.

The Tabernacle

7. For what purpose was the

earthly tabernacle built, and on what

plan was it constructed? Ex. 25:8, 9;

Heb. 8:5.

NOTE.—"That I may dwell.

In a spiritual

sense, God has ever sought an abode with

men and cannot 'rest' until this has been

accorded Him (Ps. 132: 13-16), first in the

hearts of His people individually (1 Cor.

3:16, 17; 6:19) and then in the midst of

any company who meet to worship Him

(Matt. 18:20). The system centering in the

earthly tabernacle pointed forward to

Christ, who later 'dwelt,' literally `taber-

nacled,' among men (John

1:14)."—S.D.A.

Bible Commentary,

on Ex. 25:8.

"The object of Sabbath

school work should be the

ingathering of souls."—

Counsels on Sabbath School

Work,

page 61.

What was typified by the earthly

sanctuary and its sacrificial services?

Heb. 9:24.

Nors.—"Important truths concerning the

atonement are taught by the typical ser-

vice. . . . It was the work of the priest in

the daily ministration to present before God

the blood of the sin offering, also the in-

cense which ascended with the prayers of

Israel. So did Christ plead His blood before

the Father in behalf of sinners, and present

before Him also, with the precious fragrance

of His own righteousness, the prayers of

penitent believers."—The

Great Contro-

versy,

pages 420, 421.

What is said to be "an anchor of

the soul"? In whom and where does

it center? Heb. 6:19, 20.

NoTE.—"The hope set before us" is sal-

vation through faith in Christ. This hope

penetrates "within the veil" because Jesus

has entered the sanctuary as a "High Priest

forever after the order of Melchizedek."

What man could never do to restore fel-

lowship with God, Christ did when He rent

the veil between man and God with His life.

Only here is the Christian hope called an

anchor—something which holds safely and

surely. The certainty is expressed in these

words: "By His own blood He entered in

once into the holy place, having obtained

eternal redemption for us." Heb. 9:12.

The Ark and the Mercy Seat

10.

How were the ark of the coven-

ant and the mercy seat related to each

other? Ex. 25:10-22; Rom. 5:11.

NorE.—The ark was a wooden chest over-

laid with gold, within which the two tables

of the law reposed. Ex. 25:17; Deut 10:2.

The mercy seat was the lid or cover of the

ark. It represented reconciliation. On the

Day of Atonement the high priest sprinkled

the blood on the mercy seat and before

the mercy seat. "Thus the claims of the

law, which demanded the life of the sin-

ner, were

satisfied."—Patriarchs and Proph-

ets,

page 356.

In Romans 5:11 the word rendered "rec-

onciliation" (R.S.V.) signifies the fact that

we are reconciled to God (Rom. 5:10)

through the life, death, and mediation of

our Lord Jesus Christ.

11. By what name is the antitypical

ark called, and where was it seen?

Rev. 11:19.

NoTE.—" 'The ark of His testament' the

focal point of the vision. . . . It is in con-

nection with the beginning of the seventh

trumpet that John sees the temple in

heaven and very particularly 'the ark of

His testament.' This indicates that the sec-

ond and last division of Christ's heavenly

ministry, answering to the typical Day of

Atonement, has opened. Other scriptures

reveal that this final phase of Christ's work

began in 1844."—S.D.A.

Bible Commentary,

on Rev. 11:19.

12. At what place in the tabernacle

was God's presence manifested

physical glory? Ex. 25:22; John 8:12.

Compare Ps. 80:1.

NoTE.—"When the tabernacle was set up,

Christ manifested His presence in the holy

Shekinah, above the mercy seat and be-

tween the cherubim (Num. 7:89)."—S.D

.A.

Bible Commentary,

on Isa. 63:9.

"In all these revelations of the divine

presence the glory of God was manifested

through Christ. Not alone at the Saviour's

advent, but through all the ages after the

Fall and the promise of redemption, 'God

was in Christ, reconciling the world unto

Himself.'

"—Patriarchs and Prophets,

page

366.

Lesson 5, for February 1, 1964

Access to God Through the Atonement, in Leviticus

MEMORY VERSE:

"For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands,

which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the

presence of God for us." Heb. 9:24.

STUDY HELPS:

"Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 352-358; "The Great Controversy,"

pages 417-428 (1950 subscription ed., pp. 411-423);

"S.D.A.

Bible Commen-

tary."

AIM:

To show the redemptive meaning of the Levitical system and its relation to

the sanctification of believers in Christ Jesus.

DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD

Check Here

Sabbath afternoon: General survey.

❑

Check Here

Wednesday: Questions 11,

12; read

Sunday:



Questions 1-4.

❑

further from study helps.

❑

Monday: Questions 5-8.

❑

Thursday: Finish reading study

Tuesday: Questions 9, 10; begin

helps.

❑

reading study helps.

❑

Friday:



Review entire lesson.

❑

[ 17 3

Lesson Outline

Introduction

I. Atonement Through Shedding of

Blood

A life for a life. Lev. 17:11, 14.

Atonement by substitution. Lev.

1:3, 4; 3:2, 8.

A redemption for all who believe.

1 Peter 1:18, 19.

A new status. 1 John 1:7; Rom.

5:9; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:20; Heb.

13:12.

II. The Day of Atonement

5. A yearly service. Lev. 16:29-34;

Ex. 30:10.

A dual ceremony. Lev. 16:9, 10,

15, 30; Heb. 9:6-12.

A universal cleansing. Lev. 16:16;

Heb. 9:22, 23.

A heavenly ministry and a sinless

return. Heb. 9:23, 24, 28.

III. The Way of Holiness

The holiness of God. Lev. 11:44,

45; 20:7.

10.

The sanctifying Presence. Lev.

21:8; Ex. 3:2, 5; 19:5, 6.

11.

The sanctified believer. 1 Cor.

1:2, 30.

12.

The holy incarnation. Luke 1:35.

THE LESSON

Introduction

Leviticus is the book of priestly laws, or

the handbook of the priests. It delineates

forms of worship which were to lead the

people back to communion with God.

Throughout the middle book of the Pen-

tateuch the central truth is substitution, the

blood of a sacrificial animal taking the

place of the one on whose behalf it was to

be offered. "In all of these regulations and

precepts men saw the reconciliatory work

of Him who took our sins upon Himself,

who died for us, and by whose stripes we

are healed. Leviticus is a pre-gospel, and

should find a large place in the study of all

who wish to follow the Lamb all the way."

—S.D.A. Bible Commentary, vol.

1, p. 694.

As we look at Leviticus in the light of the

New Testament, we find it is a book for

people who realize their need of forgive-

ness of sin and of approaching the presence

of a holy God through the prescribed way

of atonement. Sacrifice reveals both man's

need and God's estimation of sin. Since

"all have sinned," the lessons of Leviticus

must have special meaning for Christians

as well as for Jews. Its types and cere-

monies have real meaning in the light of

the cross of Calvary.

Atonement Through Shedding of

Blood

1. What basic lesson was taught

by the animal sacrifices of the earthly

sanctuary services? Lev. 17:11, 14.

NotE.—"For it is the blood that makes

atonement, by reason of the life." Lev.

17:11, R.S.V. Sin brings death: "The wages

of sin is death." Rom. 6:23. Forgiveness of

sin and atonement with God require the

shedding and ministration of blood: "With-

out the shedding of blood there is no for-

giveness of sins." Heb. 9:22, R.S.V.

"Blood is the element of physical life;

and God consecrated that element as the

medium through which atonement must be

made."—G. Campbell Morgan,

The Graded

Bible, vol.

1, p. 93.

2. With what was atonement made

under the Levitical system? What

major truth concerning the Redeemer

is thereby revealed? Lev. 1:3, 4; 3:2,

8. Compare 1 John 1:7.

Nom—The fact that the offerer brought

the animal "of his own voluntary will" and

placed his hand on its head shows that he

knew he was offering a life in place of his

own. This is the vital principle of substi-

tution, by means of which an unworthy

individual exercises faith in the Lord Jesus

Christ, who is described as "worthy . . .

and hast redeemed us to God by Thy

blood." Rev. 5:9.

"Upon Christ as our substitute and surety

was laid the iniquity of us all. He was

counted a transgressor, that He might re-

deem us from the condemnation of the

law."—The Desire of Ages,

page 753.

[ 18

In what clear statement does

Peter show that the blood of Jesus

procured man's redemption? 1 Peter

1:18, 19. Compare Rev. 5:9.

NOTE.

-"All

men have been bought with

this infinite price. By pouring the whole

treasury of heaven into this world, by giv-

ing us in Christ all heaven, God has pur-

chased the will, the affections, the mind, the

soul, of every human being. Whether be-

lievers or unbelievers, all men are the Lord's

property."—Christ's

Object Lessons,

page

326.

The Levitical code was rich in symbolical

meaning to the people whose religious life

it sustained for long centuries. We, too,

can learn much from it.

What essential spiritual experi-

ences come to the believer through the

blood of Christ? 1 John 1:7; Rom.

5:9; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:20; Heb. 13:12.

NoTE.—Here are some of the greatest

words in the Bible: cleansing, justification,

redemption, forgiveness, peace, sanctifica-

tion.

Justification

"is the work of God in lay-

ing the glory of man in the dust, and doing

for man that which it is not in his power

to do for

himself."—Testimonies to Min-

isters,

page 456.

Redemption

includes saving and keeping

from sin in this life, and entrance into the

immortal life. It is through redemption

"that every other [gift] is imparted to

men."—Christ's Object Lessons,

page 301.

"While we should realize our sinful con-

dition, we are to rely upon Christ as our

righteousness, our sanctification, and our

redemption."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 472.

Peace

is the result of grace "that recon-

ciles the soul to God, quiets the strife of

human passion, and in His love the heart

is at rest."—The

Desire of Ages,

page 336.

The Day of Atonement

What special service was held in

the autumn of each year? Mention

some of the unusual incidents in the

observance of this day. Lev. 16:29-34;

Ex. 30:10.

NOTE.—This was a day of judgment, and

only the truly consecrated could be cleansed

from sin. Priests, people, sanctuary, all re-

quired cleansing before a holy God. Sym-

bols, types, shadows, are poor representa-

tions of the work of Christ, for they could

not "make the corners thereunto perfect."

Heb. 10:1. Thus many types and ceremo-

nies were used to teach the sinner's need of

Christ.

In what way was the first goat a

type of the Lord Jesus Christ? What

was the role of the scapegoat? Lev.

16:9, 10, 15, 30; Heb. 9:6-12.

NOTE.—The blood of the goat slain as a

sin offering must be taken "within the veil"

and sprinkled "upon the mercy seat, and

before the mercy seat," a procedure for-

bidden at all other times. Lev. 16:15; see

also verse 2. "Thus the claims of the law,

which demanded the life of the sinner, were

satisfied."—Patriarchs and Prophets,

page

356.

"Since Satan is the originator of sin, the

direct instigator of all the sins that caused

the death of the Son of God, justice de-

mands that Satan shall suffer the final

punishment. Christ's work for the redemp-

tion of men and the purification of the uni-

verse from sin will be closed by the re-

moval of sin from the heavenly sanctuary

and the placing of these sins upon Satan,

who will bear the final penalty. So in

the typical service, the yearly round of

ministration closed with the purification of

the sanctuary, and the confessing of the sins

on the head of the scapegoat."—/bid., p.

358.

"As in the final atonement the sins of the

truly penitent are to be blotted from the

records of heaven, no more to be remem-

bered or come into mind, so in the type

they were borne away into the wilderness,

forever separated from the congregation."—

Ibid.,

p. 358.

In what words do the Old and

New Testaments show the need for

cleansing in both the typical and anti-

typical sanctuaries? Lev. 16:16; Heb.

9:22, 23.

[

NorE.—"In Hebrews 9 the cleansing of

both the earthly and the heavenly sanc-

tuary is plainly taught. 'Almost all thing

are by the law purged with blood; and

without shedding of blood is no remission.

It was therefore necessary that the pat-

terns of things in the heavens should be

purified with these [the blood of animals] ;

but the heavenly things themselves with

better sacrifices than these' (Hebrews 9:22,

23), even the precious blood of Christ.

"The cleansing, both in the typical and

in the real service, must be accomplished

with blood: in the former, with the blood

of animals; in the latter, with the blood of

Christ."—The

Great Controversy,

pages

417, 418.

By whom is the cleansing of the

"heavenly things themselves" accom-

plished, and what supreme event will

transpire at its conclusion? Heb. 9:23,

24, 28.

The Way of Holiness

What do the types and shadows

of the Levitical system reveal about

God's character and what He expects

of His people? Lev. 11:44, 45; 20:7.

Compare 1 Peter 1:15, 16.

NorE.—Three times in Leviticus we find

the declaration, "Ye shall be holy: for I the

Lord your God am holy." Other similar

expressions may also be found. In Leviti-

cus there is frequent use of such words as

holy, holiness, sanctify—all bearing on the

worship of a holy God whose desire is

that His people shall be like Him. Un-

fortunately, Israel mistook observance of

ritual (the letter of the law) for sanctifica-

tion of heart (the spirit).

10.

What was it, in Old Testament

times, that made people, places, and

things holy? Lev. 21:8; Ex. 3:2, 5;

19:5, 6.

NoTE.—God claimed all the firstborn of

Israel as His. They were "holy" in the

sense that they were set apart to be His

peculiar servants. Ex. 13:2. God similarly

separated and claimed all the people. Lev.

11:45; 20:26.

The Sabbath was holy. Ex. 20:8-11. The

tabernacle was called a sanctuary, or holy

place. Ex. 25:8. The outer apartment was

the holy place, the inner one the most holy

place. Ex. 26:33. The altar was similarly

called most holy, as were also the sacred

vessels. Ex. 29:37; 30:29. Even things

which touched the altar and the offerings

became holy. Lev. 6:18. It was God's

claim, His presence, and dedication to His

service that made persons, places, and

things holy.

11.

What evidence is there that the

basic ideal of holiness was carried

over into the New Testament? 1 Cor.

1:2, 30.

NorE.—"Sanctified in Christ Jesus, called

to be saints"—God's sanctified or holy

ones. The Greek word here rendered saints

(hagioi),

is an all-important link between

the Old and the New Testament. Thus

Paul addresses believers as people "called

to be saints." Rom. 1:7. They are "sancti-

fied in Christ."

In Hebrews 3:1 we have the expression

"holy brethren," who are said to be "par-

takers of the heavenly calling." Heb. 3:1.

Theirs is "an holy calling." 2 Tim. 1:9. The

whole church is "a spiritual house, an holy

priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,

acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." 1 Peter

2:5.

12.

How did the angel explain the

birth of Jesus? Luke 1:35.

NorE.—"The Holy Spirit will come upon

you, and the power of the Most High will

overshadow you; therefore the Child to be

born will be called holy, the Son of God:"

R.S.V.

In Acts 3:14 the apostles declared: "But

ye denied the Holy One and the Just."

Twice Jesus is referred to as "Thy holy

Child ["servant," R.S.V.] Jesus." Acts 4:

27, 30.

Christ Jesus has been "made unto us

wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctifica-

[20]

tion, and redemption." 1 Cor. 1:30. The

faithful believer, in turn, is made a par-

taker of the imputed righteousness of Christ.

When the believer "keepeth his word" and

has "the love of God perfected" in him, he

enters into an ever deepening experience of

imparted righteousness, living the sanctified

lffe. He bears "fruit unto holiness, and the

mid everlasting life." Rom. 6:22.

VTo that unseen Holy One he [the be-

liever] will show respect and reverence be-

cause he is wearing His yoke and is learn-

ing His pure, holy

ways."-Testimonies,

vol. 6, p. 322.

Lesson 6, for February 8, 1964

Glimpses of the Messiah in the Book of Numbers

MEMORY VERSE:

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so

must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not

perish, but have eternal life." John 3:14, 15.

STUDY HELPS:

"The Desire of Ages," pages 463-475; "Testimonies," vol. 4, pp. 120-

123; "Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 428-432, 515-517.

AIM:

To see divine guidance and forbearance in the wilderness wanderings, and

the merciful provision of justice and forgiveness of sin through ceremonies

pointing forward to the coming Redeemer.

DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD

Check Here

Check

Here

Sabbath afternoon: General survey.

❑

Wednesday:



Questions 11, 12.

Sunday:



Questions 1-4.

❑

Thursday:



Read study helps.

Monday: Questions 5-7.

❑

Friday:



Review entire lesson.

Tuesday: Questions 8-10.

❑

Lesson Outline

Introduction

I. The Fiery, Cloudy Pillar

Evidences of God's presence. Num.

9:15, 16.

Purpose of God in this miracle.

Ex. 13:21; Ps. 105:39.

Proofs of Christ's presence with the

encampment. 1 Cor. 10:1-4.

Assurances of Christ's presence with

the church forever. John 8:12;

Matt. 28:20.

II. The Red Heifer

5. The unique purification offering.

Num. 19:2, 9, 17.

6. Characteristics typical of Christ.

Num. 19:2, 3.

7. The ample sacrifice for reconcilia-

tion. Num. 19:5-10.

III. The Brazen Serpent

8. A disastrous state of mind. Num.

21:4, 5.

9. A consequent calamity. Num. 21:6.

10. A lesson in obedience. Num. 21:

7-9; John 3:14, 15.

IV. The Cities of Refuge

11. Justice safeguarded. Num.

35:11-13.

12. Vengeance averted. Deut. 19:5, 6.

[21]

THE LESSON

vince Israel of God's presence and leader-

ship.

"In this cloud the Lord Himself was

present with His people, and from the

cloud He spoke to Moses. There the glory

of the Lord, later known as the `Shekinah,'

appeared (Ex. 16:10; 40:34). In a similar

way the Lord had already revealed Himself

to Moses at the burning bush (ch. 3:2),

and later appeared upon Sinai amidst

thunder and lightning (ch. 19:16, 18). The

fire and the cloud symbolized divine leader-

ship and protection."—S.D.A.

Bible Com-

mentary,

on Ex. 13:21.

3. Who accompanied and led the

Israelites on their wilderness wander-

ings? 1 Cor. 10:1-4. Compare Ps.

106:9, 10.

Introduction

The book of Numbers records the desert

pilgrimage and warfare, the failure of Israel

to possess the Promised Land, the record

of certain additions to the ceremonial law,

and of plans for ultimate entrance into

Canaan. All this is recorded by the great

leader Moses.

We study here the immortal story of di-

vine guidance through the pillar of cloud

and fire, the ordinance for establishing the

six cities of refuge—some think that all

forty-four Levitical cities were, in at least

some sense, places of refuge—the unique

sin offering of the red heifer, and the results

of rebellion near Edom.

New Testament writers point out a num-

ber of lessons from the wilderness experi-

ences. One of these is the story of the

brazen serpent: "It shall come to pass, that

everyone that is bitten, when he looketh

upon it, shall live." Num. 21:8. Our Lord's

memorable comment on this was: "As

Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilder-

ness, even so must the Son of man be lifted

up." John 3:14. In fact, the lesson in all

these experiences with Messianic overtones

is this: There is life in a look at the Cruci-

fied One.

The Fiery, Cloudy Pillar

On what occasion did the cloud

cover the tabernacle, how often was

it there, and what variations were

there in its appearance? Num. 9:

15, 16.

NoTE.—The fiery, cloudy pillar is men-

tioned many times in Exodus, Numbers,

and Deuteronomy, under such names as

"pillar of cloud," "pillar of fire," "pillar of

the cloud," "pillar of fire and of the cloud,"

"the cloud of the Lord." It is also mentioned

in later books, including the New Testa-

ment, as a historical reality.

For what purposes did God pro-

vide the phenomenon of the cloud?

Ex. 13:21; Ps. 105:39.

NoTE.—The cloud was for guidance, for

shade and a covering, for light, and to con-

NOTE.—"In all these revelations of the

divine presence [Sinai, the Shekinah], the

glory of God was manifested through

Christ. .

"Christ was not only the leader of the

Hebrews in the wilderness—the Angel in

whom was the name of Jehovah, and who,

veiled in the cloudy pillar, went before the

host—but it was He who gave the law to

Israel. Amid the awful glory of Sinai,

Christ declared in the hearing of all the

people the ten precepts of His Father's law.

It was He who gave to Moses the law en-

graved upon the tables of

stone."—Patri-

archs and Prophets,

page 366.

"Jesus stood at the head of that vast

army. The cloudy column by day and the

pillar of fire by night represented their

divine

Leader."—Testimonies,

vol. 4, p. 22.

4. In what words did Jesus assure

the believer that He still guides His

people in the way of salvation? John

8:12; Matt. 28:20.

NOTE.—"The

Light of the world."

This

metaphor has a strong Scriptural back-

ground subsequent to the desert pilgrimage.

For example: "The Lord is my light and my

salvation" (Ps. 27:1) ; "I the Lord have

called thee in righteousness, and will . . .

give thee for a covenant of the people, for

a light of the Gentiles" (Isa. 42:6); "Arise,

[223

shine; for thy light is come, and the glory

of the Lord is risen upon thee" (Isa. 60:1;

see also verse 19) ; and "Unto you that fear

My name shall the Sun of Righteousness

arise with healing in His wings" (Mal. 4:2).

Believers in Jesus are exhorted: "While

you have the light, believe in the light, that

you may become sons of light." John 12:36,

R.S.V.

The Red Heifer

What special offering was made

to free the people of Israel from cer-

tain types of ceremonial defilement?

Num. 19:2, 9, 17.

NoTa.—"The children of Israel were an-

ciently commanded to make an offering for

the entire congregation to purify them from

ceremonial defilement. This sacrifice was

a red heifer and represented the more per-

fect offering that should redeem from the

pollution of sin. This was an occasional

sacrifice for the purification of all those

who had necessarily or accidentally touched

the dead. All who came in contact with

death in any way were considered cere-

monially unclean. This was to forcibly im-

press the minds of the Hebrews with the

fact that death came in consequence of sin

and therefore is a representative of sin. The

one

heifer, the

one

ark, the

one

brazen ser-

pent, impressively point to the

one

great

offering, the sacrifice of

Christ."—Testimo-

nies,

vol. 4, p. 120.

Mention some distinctive fea-

tures attending the ceremony of the

red heifer. Num. 19:2, 3.

NorE.—"This heifer was to be red, which

was a symbol of blood. It must be without

spot or blemish, and one that had never

borne a yoke. Here, again, Christ was

typified. The Son of God came voluntarily

to accomplish the work of atonement. There

was no obligatory yoke upon Him, for He

was independent and above all law. . . .

"The sacrificial heifer was conducted

without the camp and slain in the most

imposing manner. Thus Christ suffered

without the gates of Jerusalem, for Calvary

was outside the city walls. This was to

show that Christ did not die for the He-

brews alone, but for all mankind. He pro-

claims to a fallen world that He has come

to be their Redeemer and urges them to

accept the salvation He offers them."—

Testimonies,

vol. 4, pp. 120, 121.

Describe the ceremony of offer-

ing the red heifer. Num. 19:5-10.

NoTE.—"The body of the heifer was

burned to ashes, which signified a whole

and ample sacrifice. The ashes were then

gathered up by a person uncontaminated

by contact with the dead and placed in a

vessel containing water from a running

stream. This clean and pure person then

took a cedar stick with scarlet cloth and

a bunch of hyssop, and sprinkled the con-

tents of the vessel upon the tent and the

people assembled. This ceremony was re-

peated several times in order to be thorough

and was done as a purification from sin.

"Thus Christ, in His own spotless righ-

teousness, after shedding His precious blood,

enters into the holy place to cleanse the

sanctuary. And there the crimson current

is brought into the service of reconciling

God to man. Some may look upon this

slaying of the heifer as a meaningless cere-

mony, but it was done by the command

of God and bears a deep significance that

has not lost its application to the present

time."—Testimonies,

vol. 4, pages 121, 122.

The Brazen Serpent

In what state of mind were the

Israelites as they went around the

land of Edom? With what reproach

did they turn against God and Moses?

Num. 21:4, 5.

What calamity came upon the

people? Num. 21:6.

10.

How did God teach Israel that

faith in His word brings salvation?

How did our Lord apply this experi-

ence? Num. 21:7-9; John 3:14, 15.

[ 23

NOTE.—" 'As Moses lifted up the serpent

in the wilderness,' even so was the Son

of man 'lifted up: that whosoever believeth

in Him should not perish, but have eternal

life.' John 3:14, 15. All who have ever

lived upon the earth have felt the deadly

sting of 'that old serpent, called the devil,

and Satan.' Revelation 12:9. The fatal ef-

fects of sin can be removed only by the

provision that God has made. The Israel-

ites saved their lives by looking upon the

uplifted serpent. That look implied faith.

They lived because they believed God's

word, and trusted in the means provided for

their recovery. So the sinner may look to

Christ, and live. He receives pardon

through faith in the atoning sacrifice. Un-

like the inert and lifeless symbol, Christ has

power and virtue in Himself to heal the

repenting

sinner."—Patriarchs and Proph-

ets,

page 431.

The Cities of Refuge

11. What provision against rash

action did God make for the Israelites

in their permanent home in Pales-

tine? Num. 35:11-13. Compare Deut.

19:2-7; Josh. 20:1-6.

12. Why was haste necessary when

a person accidentally killed another?

What provision of God saved the

pursued from approaching wrath?

Deut. 19:5, 6.

NoTE.—"He who fled to the city of refuge

could make no delay. Family and employ-

ment were left behind. There was no time

to say farewell to loved ones. His life was

at stake, and every other interest must be

sacrificed to the one purpose—to reach the

place of safety. Weariness was forgotten,

difficulties were unheeded. The fugitive

dared not for one moment slacken his pace

until he was within the walls of the city."

—Patriarchs and Prophets,

page 517.

"The cities of refuge appointed for God's

ancient people were a symbol of the refuge

provided in Christ. The same merciful

Saviour who appointed those temporal cit-

ies of refuge has by the shedding of His

own blood provided for the transgressors of

God's law a sure retreat, into which they

may flee for safety from the second death.

No power can take out of His hands the

souls that go to Him for pardon."—Ibid.,

p. 516.

Lesson 7, for February 15, 1964

The Promised Deliverer in Deuteronomy

MEMORY VERSE:

"The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the

midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall hearken." Deut.

18:15.

STUDY HELPS:

"Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 287-290, 479, 480; "Prophets and

Kings," page 684; "S.D.A. Bible Commentary."

AIM: To

observe the redemptive setting of (1) the Exodus and the establishment

of Israel in the Land of Promise; (2) the great-Prophet prediction of Moses;

(3) the covenantal responsibilities of the church, based on God's law; (4) sur-

render and obedience as a spiritual experience.

DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD

Check Here

Sabbath afternoon: General survey.

❑

Sunday: Questions 1-4.



Monday: Questions 5-8.

Tuesday: Questions

9-11.



Check Here

Wednesday: Questions 12, 13.

❑

Thursday: Read study helps.

❑

Friday:



Review entire lesson.

❑

[24

Lesson Outline

Introduction

I. Delivered From Egypt and Guided

to Canaan

The divine purpose. Ex. 3:7, 8, 10.

The hope of deliverance. Gen. 3:15;

12:1-3; 17:1-8; 49:8-10.

The twofold promise. Deut. 1:8, 21.

The final victory. Rev. 15:2, 3.

II. The Prophet Like Moses

The Mosaic prediction. Deut 18:15.

The coming Prophet. John 6:14.

The basis of obedience. Deut. 4:2;

John 12:48-50.

The injunction of Moses. Deut.

18:15.

The Decalogue and the Covenants

Two essential attitudes. Deut. 5:1;

Matt. 19 : 17, last part.

10.

Present obligations. Deut. 5:2, 3.

11.

Basis of the covenant in Horeb.

Deut. 5:4-21.

12.

Blessings of obedience. Deut. 5:29;

John 15:10.

IV. Surrender and Obedience

13.

The relation between love and

obedience. Deut. 6:4-6.

THE LESSON

Introduction

The book of Deuteronomy, which is said

to be quoted some ninety times in the New

Testament, is largely made up of four ex-

tended discourses of Moses, delivered on

the plains of Moab. Deut. 34:1. Then the

great leader, resigned to God's will that he

should relinquish his work and go to his

rest, gave to his beloved people his fare-

well counsels. Deut. 31:1 to 34:12.

The relevance of Moses to our present

lesson is, first, that Moses was a type of

Christ; and, second, that "he himself had

declared to Israel, 'The Lord thy God will

raise up unto thee a Prophet from the

midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto

me; unto Him ye shall hearken.'

"-Patri-

archs and Prophets,

page 480. Thus a man

who was himself a type of the Redeemer,

recorded one of the most striking of the

Old Testament prophecies concerning our

Lord.

Delivered From Egypt and

Guided to Canaan

1. With what purpose in view did

God send Moses to Pharaoh? Ex.

3:7,

10.

NOTE.-"I am come down to deliver them

out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to

bring them up out of that land unto a good

land." The Hebrew people were to be re-

leased in order that they might serve God:

"Let My son go, that he may serve Me;"

"Let My people go, that they may serve

Me." Ex. 4:23; 9:1. Bondage in Egypt

meant service to evil men. Ex. 1:13, 14.

What promises took on new

meaning when Moses delivered Israel

from Egypt? Gen. 3:15; 12:1-3; 17:

1-8; 49:8-10.

NOTE.

-Adam understood enough of the

plan of redemption to perceive that the Re-

deemer would come through the seed of the

woman. The promises to Adam and the

patriarchs were passed on orally, and even

Egyptian bondage could not wholly obliter-

ate the hope of deliverance.

In addition to deliverance from

Egypt, what was involved in God's

promises to the patriarchs? Deut. 1:8,

21. Compare Acts 7:3-7.

NOTE.

-In God's plan, "out of Egypt"

meant into Canaan. Ex. 3:10, 17. Note the

same phrasing in Stephen's words regarding

Abraham, in Acts

7:3:

"Get thee out of

thy country, . . . into the land which I

[

261

shall show thee." God never calls His peo-

ple out of their evil environment without

leading them into something better.

The Exodus is described in these words

in Acts 7:36: "He brought them out." The

sequel to the bringing out is found in

Joshua 4 and 5, where God brought them

over Jordan into Canaan.

To deliver from Egypt, bondage, and

idolatry was one part of God's plan. The

other was to lead Israel into the Promised

Land, where they could worship God freely.

"He brought forth His people with joy,

and His chosen with gladness: . . . that

they might observe His statutes, and keep

His laws." Ps. 105:43-45.

The leading out by Moses, under God,

and the bringing into Canaan by Joshua,

are typical of Christ's call to come out of

the world to inherit the promise of "a bet-

ter country." Heb. 11:16.

What song will the redeemed

sing on the sea of glass? Rev. 15:2, 3.

NOTE.—"That song [of Moses] does not

belong to the Jewish people alone. It

points forward to the destruction of all

the foes of righteousness and the final vic-

tory of the Israel of

God."—Patriarchs and

Prophets,

page 289.

"Them that had gotten the victory over

the beast" refers to those who heard God's

call and came out to gain victory over the

tyranny of "Babylon the great." Rev. 17:5.

Victory over Egypt and over Babylon is the

victory over sin and wickedness. To achieve

that victory Christ gave His life.

The Prophet Like Moses

What great prophecy of the com-

ing Messiah did Moses give? Deut.

18:15.

NOTE.—"Now a Prophet like unto Moses,

must necessarily, like him, be a redeemer

of the people, a founder and executor of a

New Covenant with God, and since a New

Covenant is, by implication, a better cove-

nant than that which preceded it, it follows

that the Prophet, 'like unto Moses,' is really

greater than he was. Hence this prophecy

applied in its fullness to no prophet of the

Old Testament. It is in Christ alone, the

executor of the New Covenant, the Re-

deemer of all men, that this promise is

perfectly and finally fulfilled (Kurtz,

Man

of Sacred History,

page 145)."—Aaron J.

Kligerman,

Messianic Prophecy in the Old

Testament,

page 22.

What New Testament allusion

is there to Moses' prediction regarding

the great Prophet? John 6:14. Com-

pare John 1:21.

NOTE.—The woman at the well of Sychar

(John 4:7-29) "was in an appreciative state

of mind. She was ready to receive the

noblest revelation; for she was interested

in the Scriptures, and the Holy Spirit had

been preparing her mind to receive more

light. She had studied the Old Testament

promise, 'The Lord thy God will raise up

unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee,

of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye

shall hearken.' Deut. 18:15. She longed to

understand this prophecy. Light was al-

ready flashing into her mind. The water

of life, the spiritual life which Christ gives

to every thirsty soul, had begun to spring

up in her heart. The Spirit of the Lord was

working with her."—The

Desire of Ages,

page 190.

That devout Jews were awaiting the

coming Deliverer is evident in such expres-

sions as: "Art Thou He that should come,

or do we look for another?" Matt. 11:3.

See also the use of Deuteronomy 18:15, in

Acts 3:22.

How precisely were the people

to obey Moses' commands? What sim-

ilar statement did Jesus make? Deut.

4:2; John 12:48-50.

NoTE.—Moses spoke God's word, as also

did Jesus. Our Lord assured us that His

meat was to do God's will. John 4:34. He

said that He did what God commanded

Him to do. John 14:31. He urged obedi-

ence to God's commandments. Matt. 19:17.

He was concerned with the finishing of

God's work. John 17:4.

(26

]

What specific injunction did

Moses give regarding what Israel's at-

titude to the great Prophet should be?

Deut. 18:15, last part.

NOTE.—"Him you shall heed." R.S.V. To

heed the Lord Jesus is to obey Him. When

the Father announced: "This is My beloved

Son: hear Him," He called men to acknowl-

edge God's Son and obey Him. Luke 9:35.

The Decalogue and the Covenants

In his second address in the book

of Deuteronomy, what two things did

Moses impress upon the Israelites as

vital in their attitude to "the statutes

and judgments" of God? What simi-

lar statement did Jesus make about

God's commandments? Deut. 5:1;

Matt. 19:17, last part.

NOTE.—"You shall learn them and be

careful to do them." "If you would enter

life, keep the commandments." R.S.V.

10.

With whom does Moses insist

that God made His covenant? Deut.

5:2, 3.

NoTE.—"Not . . . with our fathers, but

with us." The covenant did not belong to

the past, It was a present blessing and

obligation.

"The agreements between God and the

`fathers' were personal in nature. At Sinai,

for the first time in history, God entered

into an agreement with an entire nation,

He was to be their King, and they His peo-

ple."—S.D.A.

Bible Commentary,

on Deut.

5:3. God's dealings are with a nation only

insofar as its individual members are con-

cerned.

11.

What did Moses recite as the

basis of God's covenant in Horeb?

Deut. 5:4-21. Compare Ex. 24:7, 8.

12.

In what appealing words did

the Lord express to Moses the bless-

ings of obedience to all His com-

mands, statutes, and words? How did

our Lord speak of the blessings of

obedience to His commands? Deut.

5:29; John 15:10.

NoTE.—Obviously, obedience in Deuter-

onomy concerns both ceremonial and moral

precepts. The word "commandments" re-

fers to all the teachings by which God

wished to govern the life of His people,

including, of course, the Ten Command-

ments.

"That law had been given nearly forty

years before at Mount Sinai, with special

reference to the condition of the Israelites

in the wilderness; now it was given with

special reference to their life in the land

they were about to enter. In both instances

the moral law was given greater promi-

nence than the ceremonial law. The Ten

Commandments were uttered by the voice

of God to all the people from Mount Sinai.

The instructions about the making of the

tabernacle were given to Moses, alone, in

the mount. Practical laws of purity and

holiness in daily life were interwoven with

the laws of the sacrifices as related in

Leviticus and Numbers. In Deuteronomy

Moses addresses all the people, and the main

point that he insists on is the duty of

obedience."—A. M. Hodgkin,

Christ in All

the Scriptures,

page 36.

Surrender and Obedience

13.

In what great statement, quoted

in part by Christ, did Moses express

the relation between love and obedi-

ence? Deut 6:4-6. Compare Matt. 22:

37-39.

NOTE.—"We can never be saved by

works; but, if our salvation does not issue

in works, it is not salvation. It is not first

works, and then salvation. It is first sal-

vation, and then works. We do not be-

come saved by keeping the law; we can

only keep the law because we are saved.

All is of love, and a man cannot accept

God's grace, and then go on to break the

heart of the God who loved him so much."

—William Barclay,

The Mind of St. Paul,

page 171.

I 27 3

Lesson 8, for February 22, 1964

Redemption in the Historical Books: Joshua and Ruth

MEMORY VERSE:

"If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day

whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on

the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell:

but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15.

STUDY HELPS:

"Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 481, 482, 487, 488; "Prophets

and Kings," page 19; "The Desire of Ages," page 327.

AIM:

To observe (1) the guiding hand of God over His people as they entered

upon the conquest of Canaan, and, after the dark days of the judges, (2) the

manner in which earnest Gentiles were brought into the plan of redemption

and into the genealogy of the Messiah.

DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD

Check Here

Sabbath afternoon: General survey.

❑

Wednesday: Questions 10-13.

❑

Sunday: Questions 1-3.

❑

Thursday: Read study helps.

❑

Monday: Questions 4-6.

❑

Friday:



Review entire lesson.

❑

Tuesday:



Questions 7-9.

❑

Lesson Outline

Introduction

I. The Preparation for Conquest

Joshua chosen for leadership.

Joshua 1:2; Deut. 34:9.

Joshua assured of God's presence.

Joshua 1:5.

Joshua encounters the heavenly

visitor. Joshua 5:13, first part.

II. The Captain of the Host

The challenge of Joshua. Joshua

5:13 (last part), 14 (first part).

The effect of the meeting on Joshua.

Joshua 5:14, second part.

The Lord's reassurance to Joshua.

Joshua 5:15.

III. The Law of the Kinsman

Elimelech's family faces famine.

Ruth

1:1-5.

Ruth's deep convictions. Ruth 1:16.

Boaz enters the picture. Ruth 2:1;

3:12.

IV. The Kinsman Redeemer

10.

The kinsman's actions. Ruth

4:1-6, 10.

11.

The blessing of Ruth's marriage.

Ruth 4:14, 21, 22.

12.

The operation of law and love.

Ruth 4:14, 15.

13.

The price of our redemption. Acts

20:28.

THE LESSON

Introduction



against idolatry, intermarriage with the

heathen, materialism, apostasy, were now

Joshua the warrior took the leadership in Joshua's mind, and other unknown perils

of Israel at a time of great danger. Canaan awaited Israel. Joshua withdrew from the

was a land of wicked, warlike nations, some Israelite armies for thought and prayer.

of them skilled in the use of "chariots of "He saw a Man of lofty stature, clad in

iron." Joshua 17:16. Moses' warnings warlike garments, with a drawn sword in

(

)

His hand. . . . It was the Son of God who

stood as an armed warrior before the leader

of Israel. It was the One who had con-

ducted the Hebrews through the wilder-

ness, enshrouded in a pillar of cloud by day

and a pillar of fire by night. In order to

impress the mind of Joshua that He was

no less than Christ, the Exalted One, He

said: 'Loose thy shoe from off thy foot.'

"—

Testimonies,

vol. 4, pp. 159, 160. This re-

markable encounter was a sign to Joshua to

go forward in the assurance of God's pres-

ence.

After Joshua's generation passed away

came the period of the judges, and with it

many dark episodes in Israel's history. Then

came the refreshing story of Ruth and Boaz,

showing that God had a place for Gentiles

in the plan of salvation. The book of Ruth

teaches many spiritual lessons, none greater

than that of the great kinsman Redeemer

who gave His life for our redemption.

The Preparation for Conquest

What command came to Joshua

after the death of Moses? Why was

he chosen for leadership? Joshua 1:2;

Deut. 34:9.

In what words was Joshua as-

sured of the divine presence in his

arduous tasks? Joshua 1:5.

NOTE.—"Joshua faced a great task with

a people who had so often failed in the past.

God here promises that He would not get

them into a situation and then leave them

there. He would see them through to the

end. The same holds true for Christians

(Matt. 28:20)."—S.D

A. Bible Commen-

tary,

on Joshua 1:5.

What experience came to Joshua

near Jericho? Joshua 5:13, first part.

NoTE.—"To reduce Jericho was seen by

Joshua to be the first step in the conquest

of Canaan. But first of all he sought an

assurance of divine guidance, and it was

granted him. Withdrawing from the en-

campment to meditate and to pray that the

God of Israel would go before His people,

he beheld an armed warrior, of lofty stature

and commanding presence, 'with his sword

drawn in his hand.'

"—Patriarchs and

Prophets,

page 487.

The Captain of the Host

How did Joshua challenge the

person with the drawn sword? By

what name did the Lord reveal Him-

self to Joshua? Joshua 5:13 (last

part), 14 (first part). Compare Joshua

6:2.

NorE.—"As Commander of the army of

the Lord I have now come." R.S.V.

"To Joshua's challenge, 'Art Thou for us,

or for our adversaries?' the answer was

given, 'As Captain of the host of the Lord

am I now come.' The same command given

to Moses in Horeb, 'Loose thy shoe from

off thy foot; for the place whereon thou

standest is holy,' revealed the true character

of the mysterious stranger. It was Christ,

the Exalted One, who stood before the

leader of

Israel."—Patriarchs and Prophets,

pages 487, 488.

How did Joshua react when he

realized that he was in the divine

Presence? Joshua 5:14, second part.

NOTE.—"Awe-stricken, Joshua fell upon

his face and worshiped, and heard the as-

surance, 'I have given into thine hand Jeri-

cho, and the king thereof, and the mighty

men of valor,' and he received instruction

for the capture of the

city."—Patriarchs

and Prophets,

page 488.

What reassuring words, previ-

ously spoken to Moses, were now ad-

dressed to Joshua, as he set out on the

conquest of Canaan? Joshua 5:15.

NoTE.—"To Moses there was given the

sign of the burning bush, accompanied by

the command to put off his shoes from off

his feet, because the place on which he

stood was holy ground. The same com-

mand was now given to Joshua as he

[29]

bowed prostrate in the presence of the

Prince of the host of the Lord, who stood

before him with the drawn sword in His

hand. This vision was symbolic of the mis-

sion of judgment upon the corrupt peoples

of the land which Israel, under the leader-

ship of Joshua, were now called upon to

undertake."—G. Campbell Morgan,

The

Graded Bible, vol.

2, p. 6.

The Law of the Kinsman

Relate the circumstances under

which Ruth enters the Bible story.

Ruth 1:1-5.

Nom.—From the stern loyalties of Josh-

ua's generation (Joshua 24:31), Israel de-

generated swiftly into apostasy. The book

of Judges gives evidence of this dark period.

The book of Ruth may be thought of as

a concluding section to the book of Judges,

and as an introduction to the books of

Samuel. Elimelech—"My God is King"—

his wife Naomi, and their two sons Mahlon

and Chilion appear to have been among

God's faithful ones in an evil generation.

The Moabite women who married the sons

were evidently susceptible to the uplifting

influence of this God-fearing home, and one

of them, Ruth, and her mother-in-law

Naomi, became participants in a memorable

illustration of the kinsman laws of Israel.

Ten years after Elimelech and his family

went from Israel to Moab, the two lonely

women returned to Israel.

What deep conviction on Ruth's

part was the reason for her noble

place in the subsequent history of

Elimelech's family and of Israel? Ruth

1:16.

Who entered the story and was

used by God to turn Naomi's bitter-

ness to joy? By virtue of what fact did

this man enter the lives of Naomi and

Ruth? Ruth 2:1; 3:12.

NoTE.—The guiding hand of God brought

into this story a wealthy, kind, and honor-

able man named Boaz.

The law of the kinsman provided for the

regaining of property sold for debt (Lev.

25:25),

and for preserving the name of the

childless dead by the marriage of his

brother to the widow (Deut. 25:5; Ruth

3; 4).

The Kinsman Redeemer

10.

In what legal manner did Boaz

proceed to clear away the obstacles to

his redemption of the property of

Naomi, including the widow Ruth?

Ruth 4:1-6, 10.

NoTE.—"The keynote of the book of Ruth

The Kinsman Redeemer.

In him we see

Christ, who has purchased the church to be

His bride. 'Thirty times in this short book

the word "kinsman" is found, or "re-

deemer," "near kinsman," "next of kin,"

"kindred." . . . Our Lord Jesus had to be-

come one with man in order to have the

right to redeem. . . . No sinner can re-

deem himself, much less can he redeem his

brother (Ps. 49:7). He is therefore, as the

God-man, our Boaz ("Ability") ; by that

kinship and strength or ability, He is able

to save to the uttermost all that come unto

God by Him' (Pierson)."—A. M. Hodgkin,

Christ in All the Scriptures,

page 61.

11.

In what way did the marriage

of Ruth to Boaz become a blessing to

all concerned, and also to posterity?

Ruth 4:14, 21, 22.

Nom.—The birth of the child Obed ("ser-

vant;" that is, of God) brought Ruth into

the royal line of the progenitors of David,

who was in some respects a type of Christ.

With her new husband she is honored for

all time as an ancestor of Christ. Matt. 1:5.

"Had the Jewish nation appreciated the

lesson of the book of Ruth—that God is

no respecter of persons—their attitude

toward the Gentiles would have been vastly

different from what it was. They would

have been looking for a Messiah whose mis-

sion was to save all men from sin, whether

Jew or Gentile, and not merely for a Jewish

Messiah to save the Jewish nation from

bondage to Rome. There is a lesson for us

[ 30

also in the book of Ruth. If we will but

practice love and sympathy toward our

fellow men, many of them will say to us as

Ruth said to her mother-in-law, 'Thy peo-

ple shall be my people, and thy God my

God.'

"—S.D.A. Bible Commentary,

Ruth 4:17.

12. How is the operation of love

and law seen in this book, and in the

words of the women of Bethlehem to

Naomi? Ruth 4:14, 15.

Nom.—The love of a daughter-in-law is

stated in verse 15, and it brought blessing

upon the household.

The laws of Israel were scrupulously ob-

served when Boaz, before the elders, gave

the near relative of Naomi opportunity to

act as the kinsman redeemer,

13. With what strong words did

Paul exhort the elders of the church

at Ephesus with regard to the price

of our redemption? Acts 20:28.

Nom.—"Their responsibility was all the

greater in that the flock which they were

called upon to tend was no other than the

congregation of God which He had pur-

chased for Himself . • . and the ransom-

price was nothing less than the life-blood of

His beloved Son."—F.

Bruce,

The Book

of Acts,

page 416..

Lesson 9, for February 29, 1964

Christ in the Psalms

MEMORY VERSE:

"These are the words which I spoke unto you, while

was yet

with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of

Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me." Luke 24:44.

STUDY HELPS:

"The Ministry of Healing," page 197; "The Desire of Ages," pages

741-752; "S. D.A. Bible Commentary."

AIM:

To observe the Messianic content of some of the psalms, which reveal cer-

tain offices, sufferings, and ultimate triumph of Messiah.

DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD

Check Here

Sabbath afternoon: General survey.

❑

Sunday: Questions 1-4.



❑

Monday: Questions 5-8.



❑

Tuesday: Questions 9-11.



❑

Wednesday: Questions 12, 13;

Check Here

begin reading study helps.



❑

Thursday: Finish reading study

helps.

Friday: Review entire lesson.

Lesson Outline

Introduction

I. The Sonship of King Messiah

Heathen rage against God and His

Antinted. Ps. 2:2; Acts 4:25-27.

Divine attestation of Sonship. Ps.

2:7, 8; Acts 13:30-33.

God's declaration of Kingship. Ps.

2:6.

Heaven's exhortation to honor the

Son.

Ps.

2:12.

II. The Sufferings of Messiah

The cry from the cross.

Ps.

22:1;

Matt. 27 :46.

The assembly of the wicked. Ps.

22:16-18; Matt. 27:31, 35.

The scorn and mockery. Ps. 22:7,

8, 15; Mark 15:29; Matt. 27:43;

John 19:28-30.

31 I

The ascription of praise. Ps. 22:22;

Heb. 2:11, 12.

III. Messiah as Priest-King

At God's right hand. Ps. 110:1;

Matt. 22 :42-45.

10.

A Priest forever. Ps. 110:4; Heb.

5:6.

11.

An eternal throne. Ps. 45:6; Heb.

1:6-8.

IV. Some Favorite Figures of Our

Lord

12.

The Good Shepherd. Ps. 23:1;

John 10:11.

13.

The Light of the world. John 8:12;

Ps. 27:1.

THE LESSON

Introduction

The title of this lesson is justified by

Christ's own words to the disciples gathered

together in Jerusalem after His resurrec-

tion, as they ate the broiled fish and honey-

comb: "All things must be fulfilled, which

were written . . . in the psalms, concern-

ing Me." Luke 24:44.

The word "psalms," as used by Christ

in Luke 24:44, refers to the third of the

three divisions of the Hebrew Old Testa-

ment, commonly called "The Writings."

This division included Ruth, First and Sec-

ond Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther,

Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of

Solomon, Lamentations, and Daniel. The

book of Psalms appears first in this sec-

tion of the Hebrew Bible, and thus gave its

name to the entire section.

David, poet-king and Sweet Singer of

Israel, stands at the head of the writers of

this book. Some seventy-three psalms are

ascribed to him, and he may have com-

posed some of the fifty anonymous psalms.

The quotations from and references in the

New Testament to the Psalms are numer-

ous; some have estimated as high as three

hundred. These religious poems and songs

have entered into the life of every Chris-

tian nation. They profoundly influenced

the Jewish nation, and helped to keep the

Messianic hope alive.

The Sonship of King Messiah

1. In what words does the psalmist

picture the wicked in rebellion

against "the Lord, and against His

Anointed"? Who is God's Anointed?

Ps. 2:2; Acts 4:25-27.

NOTE.—"The first of the Messiah psalms,

Ps. 2, has been appropriately called a Song

of the Lord's Anointed."—S.D.A.

Bible

Commentary,

vol. 3, p. 632.

"The Jews themselves admit that the

earliest interpretation of this psalm was

Messianic, and that the 'anointed' is 'King

Messiah.' "—J. J. S. Perowne,

The Book of

Psalms,

1888 ed., p. 15.

"The priests did all they could to keep

Christ's body where it had been laid. He

was sealed as securely in His tomb as if

He were to remain there through all time."

—The Desire of Ages,

page 778.

What relationship of Christ to

God is mentioned in the same psalm?

What unique event served to rein-

force this relationship? Ps. 2:7, 8;

Acts 13:30-33.

NorE.—In Psalm 2:7 the Son refers to

the Father's decree of Sonship. In Acts 13:

33 Paul applies Psalm 2:7 to Christ's resur-

rection. Elsewhere he says that Jesus was

"declared to be the Son of God with power,

according to the Spirit of holiness, by the

resurrection from the dead." Rom. 1:4.

What other title of the Son is

referred to in this psalm? Ps. 2:6.

Compare Matt. 21:5.

NOTE.—Here is what has been called

"God's own answer to them that oppose

Him. I (the pronoun is emphatic in the

Hebrew), the King of heaven and earth,

have set my own King, my Son, and my

vicegerent, upon the throne. . .

"On Zion, . . . the seat of dominion, the

center from which His law goes forth, etc.,

. . . there is a kind of anticipative hint of

the great truth which is first distinctly

[ 32 ]

taught in 110th Psalm, that the Anointed

King should also be the Anointed Priest."—

J. J. S. Perowne,

The Book of Psalms,

page 17.

Whom are men exhorted to rev-

erence? Ps. 2:12.

NoTE.—"Kiss the Son.

That is, do rev-

erence to the Messiah, whom Jehovah has

declared to be His

Son."—S.D.A. Bible

Commentary,

on Ps. 2:12.

The Sufferings of Messiah

Which words from one of the

Psalms did. Jesus utter on the cross?

Ps. 22:1; Matt. 27:46.

NOTE.-"Thp spotless Son of God took

upon Himself the burden of sin. He who

had been one with God, felt in His soul

the awful separation that sin makes be-

tween God and man. This wrung from His

lips the anguished cry, 'My God, My God,

why hast Thou forsaken Me?'

"—Steps to

Christ,

page 13.

How was the psalmist's picture

of an innocent sufferer fulfilled at the

crucifixion? Ps. 22:16-18; Matt. 27:

31, 35.

NoTE.—"In the sufferings of Christ upon

the cross prophecy was fulfilled. . . . The

prophecy concerning His garments was car-

ried out without counsel or interference

from the friends or the enemies of the

Crucified One. To the soldiers who had

placed Him upon the cross, His clothing was

given. Christ heard the men's contention

as they parted the garments among them.

His tunic was woven throughout without

seam, and they said, 'Let us not rend it, but

cast lots for it, whose it shall

be.'"—The

Desire of Ages,

page 746.

Trace in the New Testament the

fulfillment of the following statements

in Psalm 22: (a) "They . . . laugh

Me to scorn." Verse 7. See Mark 15:

29. (b) "He trusted on the Lord that

He would deliver Him." Verse 8. See

Matthew 27:43 and note the addition

of "for He said, I am the Son of God."

Verse 15. See John 19:28-30.

NOTE.—"In their mockery of the Sav-

iour, the men who professed to be the ex-

pounders of prophecy were repeating the

very words which Inspiration had foretold

they would utter upon this occasion. . . .

But although spoken in mockery, these

words led men to search the Scriptures as

they had never done before. Wise men

heard, searched, pondered, and prayed.

There were those who never rested until, by

comparing scripture with scripture, they

saw the meaning of Christ's mission. Never

before was there such a general knowledge

of Jesus as when He hung upon the cross.

Into the hearts of many who beheld the

crucifixion scene, and who heard Christ's

words, the light of truth was shining."—The

Desire of Ages,

page 749.

How does the New Testament

apply the words of thanksgiving in

Psalm 22:22 to the victorious results

of Christ's crucifixion and resurrec-

tion? Ps. 22:22; Heb. 2:11, 12.

Messiah as Priest-King

What great truth concerning the

Messiah was cited from the Psalms by

Christ to the Jewish leaders? Ps.

110:1; Matt. 22:42-45.

NoTE.—This psalm is quoted also in Mark

12:35-37; Acts 2:34.

"According to Jesus' statement the con-

versation occurred between God the Fa-

ther and God the Son. Christ is seated in

the place of highest honor in the universe,

the right hand of His Father (see Eph.

1:20-23; cf. 1 Cor. 15:24-28)."—S.D.A.

Bi-

ble Commentary,

on Ps. 110:1.

10.

What does the psalmist say

specifically regarding the priesthood

of Christ? Ps. 110:4; Heb. 5:6.

[ 38

NoTE.—"A priest for ever.

The strongest

possible language is employed to show that

Christ is an eternal Priest. He is so by

virtue of a promise of God confirmed by

an oath (see Heb. 7:21). This settles the

decree beyond all question.

"Order of Melchizedek.

In Christ the

priesthood and the kingship are united as

they were in Melchizedek, king of Salem,

priest of God (see Gen. 14:18; Heb. 5:6,

10; 6:20; 7:1-3, 11, 15, 17, 24,

28)."—

S.D.A. Bible Commentary,

on Ps. 110:4.

11. How are certain words of the

psalmist used to prove the divine Son-

ship and Kingship of Christ? Ps. 45:

6; Heb. 1:6-8.

NOTE.—"Here [Heb. 1:8] the Father ad-

dresses the Son reverently, calling Him God.

This may be considered the climax in the

argument on the position and dignity of

Christ. There can be no higher testimony

to the deity of Christ than this apostrophe

of the Father to the Son."—S.D.A.

Bible

Commentary,

on Heb. 1:8.

Some Favorite Figures of Our Lord

12.

By what Old Testament figure

did Jesus represent His love for man-

kind? Ps. 23:1; John 10:11.

NOTE.—"Christ applied these prophecies

[Ps. 23:1; Ezek. 34:23, 16, 25, 28] to Him-

self, and He showed the contrast between

His own character and that of the leaders

in Israel. The Pharisees had just driven

one from the fold, because he dared to bear

witness to the power of Christ. They had

cut off a soul whom the True Shepherd was

drawing to Himself. In this they had

shown themselves ignorant of the work

committed to them, and unworthy of their

trust as shepherds of the flock. Jesus now

set before them the contrast between them

and the Good Shepherd, and He pointed to

Himself as the real keeper of the Lord's

flock."—The

Desire of Ages,

page 477.

13.

What figure of speech, applied

by Jesus Himself, is used of Deity in

the Psalms? John 8:12; Ps. 27:1. Com-

pare Ps. 36:9.

Lesson 10, for March 7, 1964

The Messiah in the Prophecies of Isaiah

MEMORY VERSE:

"The Spirit

of the Lord God is upon Me; because the Lord hath

anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind

up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of

the prison to them that are bound." Isaiah

61:1.

STUDY HELPS:

"The Desire of Ages," pages 578, 579; "Prophets and Kings," pages

689-697, 729-733; "S.D.A. Bible Commentary."

AIM:

To present the salient points of Messianic prophecy in the writings of "the

gospel prophet," and to observe their specific fulfillment in Jesus of Nazareth.

DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD

Check Here

Sabbath afternoon: General survey.

❑

Check Here

reading study helps.



❑

Sunday: Questions 1-4.

❑

Thursday:



Finish reading study

Monday: Questions 5-8.

❑

helps.

Tuesday:



Questions 9-11.

❑

Friday:



Review entire lesson.

Wednesday: Questions 12, 13; begin

[ 34

]

Lesson Outline

Introduction

I. The Immanuel Passages

The first Immanuel passage. Isa.

7:13-17.

The New Testament confirmation.

Matt. 1:18-23 ; Luke 1:27-31.

The second Immanuel passage. Isa.

9:1-7.

The third Immanuel passage. Isa.

11:1-5.

II. The Messianic Age

Physical and spiritual changes. Isa.

35:1-7.

A transformed people. Isa. 35:8.

III. The Servant of God

A prophetic designation of Messiah.

Isa. 42:1; Matt. 12:18.

A designation implying Deity. Isa.

49:5-7.

IV. The Suffering Saviour

A notable incident. Acts 8:26-35.

10.

The sufferings of Christ. Isa. 53:2-5,

7, 8.

11.

A picture in paradoxes. Isa. 53:

9-11; Acts 2:23; Matt. 27:57-60.

V. The Gracious Work of the Saviour

12.

The work of the Messiah. Isa. 61:1;

Luke 4 : 18-21.

13.

The judgment and God's grace.

Isa. 61:1, 2.

THE LESSON

NoTE.-"Our little world, under the curse

of sin the one dark blot in His glorious

creation, will be honored above all other

worlds in the universe of God. Here, where

the Son of God tabernacled in humanity;

where the King of glory lived and suffered

and died,-here, when He shall make all

things new, the tabernacle of God shall be

with men, 'and He will dwell with them,

and they shall be His people, and God Him-

self shall be with them, and be their God.'

And through endless ages as the redeemed

walk in the light of the Lord, they will

praise Him for His unspeakable Gift,-Im-

manuel, 'God with

us.' "-The Desire of

Ages,

page 26.

3. What is the second Immanuel

passage? What seven outstanding

facts concerning the Messiah and His

work are mentioned here? Isa. 9:1-7.

Introduction

Isaiah, of the royal line of Judah, has

been called "the evangelical prophet." His

name means "the Lord will save," and

through ali the triumph and the tragedy,

through the thunder of God's judgments in

war and peace, through sorrow and joy,

there shines in Isaiah's pages the glory of

the coming Deliverer-the "Hope of Israel,"

"the Desire of all nations."

The Immanuel Passages

1. In a time of peril at the hands

of neighboring kings, what sign of

deliverance did God promise Ahaz?

Isa. 7:13-17. Compare Isa. 8:8, 10.

NoTE.-Matthew, by inspiration, applies

the promise of Isaiah 7:14 to Christ. See

Matt. 1:22, 23.

Immanuel.

The word Immanuel appears

here for the first time. It means "God with

us," and is one of the sign names such as

"Wonderful," "Counselor," which indicate

the nature or work of the Messiah.

2. How do both Matthew and Luke

confirm the virgin birth of Jesus?

Matt. 1:18-23; Luke 1:27-31.

NoTE.-Isaiah 8 closes with darkness and

desolation in Galilee as a result of the

Assyrian invasion, but the darkness gives

way to light as the Immanuel hope is ful-

filled in chapter 9.

People in darkness are to see "a great

light." Compare John 1:4-9. The nation

was to rejoice in the Messiah-"Thou hast

multiplied the nation, thou hast increased

its joy." Isa. 9:3, R.S.V. Christ said He

came to break the yoke of bondage. See

Luke 4:18, 19. Jesus was a Child born of

Mary and a Son given by the Holy Ghost.

The government of the universe and of all

earthly nations is yet to become complete

and eternal in Christ's hands. See Dan.

2:44, 45; Matt. 25:31.

What facts are stated in Isaiah's

third passage relating to the Messiah?

Isa. 11:1-5.

NOTE.—Mary, the mother of Jesus, in

thinking of Simeon's prophecy, recalled

Isaiah's words, "There shall come forth

a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a

Branch shall grow out of his roots," but

she did not at once understand them. See

The Desire of Ages,

page 56.

A clear picture of the Messiah is etched

in the words of this text. Isa. 11:1-5. With

these verses compare Daniel 2:43, 44 and

Revelation 19:11-21. In Isaiah 11:6-9 we

have a new-earth picture where rapacity

and destruction are eradicated and replaced

by peace and holiness.

The Messianic Age

How does Isaiah portray the

physical and spiritual condition of

the new earth and of God's redeemed

people? Isa. 35:1-7.

NoTE.—The wilderness through which

ancient Israel toiled, the hard world through

which modern Israel journeys to the

heavenly Canaan, are to become a field of

flowers. Groaning and toiling are to give

place to rejoicing.

"When the ransomed of the Lord shall

have been safely gathered into the heavenly

Canaan, forever delivered from the bond-

age of the curse, under which 'the whole

creation groaneth and travaileth in pain

together until now' (Romans 8:22), they

will rejoice with joy unspeakable and full

of glory. Christ's great work of atonement

for men will then have been completed, and

their sins will have been forever blotted

out."—Patriarchs and Prophets,

page 542.

What expressions denote the

character of the inhabitants of the

new world created by the Messiah?

How do men in this world find the

holy way to God? Isa. 35:8.

NoTE.—"An highway, . . . The way of

holiness." The material and spiritual pros-

perity of a loyal Israel would have at-

tracted men to God's people, and these

prophecies might have been fulfilled in this

world. But disloyalty left no "way of

holiness" by which men were drawn to God,

and only through men redeemed in Christ's

righteousness and in the new world can

these prophecies find complete fulfillment.

The Servant of God

What designation used several

times by Isaiah was Matthew led to

apply to Jesus in His ministry for

fallen man? Isa. 42:1; Matt. 12:18.

Compare Isa. 49:6; 53:11.

In what words does the prophet

further describe the work of the Mes-

siah? Isa. 49:5-7. Compare Luke 2:32.

NOTE.—"In the later centuries of Israel's

history prior to the first advent it was

generally understood that the coming of

the Messiah was referred to in the prophecy,

`It is a light thing that Thou shouldest be

My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob,

and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will

also give Thee for a light to the Gentiles,

that Thou mayest be My salvation unto the

end of the

earth.'"—Prophets and Kings,

pages 688, 689.

The Suffering Saviour

In what notable New Testament

incident is the prophecy of Isaiah 53

applied to the Messiah? Acts 8:26-35.

Compare Matt. 8:17; John 12:38.

NoTE.—"Who hath believed?

Who would

have believed the account of the humilia-

tion and exaltation of Messiah, the Lord's

Servant (see on ch. 52:7, 13-15) ! The story

of the Saviour's selfless love and His vicari-

E 36 ]

ous sacrifice—the theme of chs. 52:13 to

53:12—is the most amazing message, the

greatest 'good tidings' (see on ch. 52:7), of

time and eternity."—S.D.A.

Bible Commen-

tary,

on Isa. 53:1.

10.

What is said of the Messiah's

physical appearance? How are His

sufferings described, and why did He

suffer? Isa. 53:2-5, 7, 8. Compare

1 Peter 3:18.

NOTE.—"For more than a thousand years

the Jewish people had awaited the Saviour's

coming. Upon this event they had rested

their brightest hopes. In song and prophecy,

in temple rite and household prayer, they

had enshrined His name. And yet at His

coming they knew Him not. The Beloved

of heaven was to them 'as a root out of a

dry ground;' He had 'no form nor come-

liness;' and they saw in Him no beauty that

they should desire Him. 'He came unto His

own, and His own received Him not.' Isa.

53:2; John

1:11."—The Desire of Ages,

page 27.

"Wounded for our transgression."

"Christ

was treated as we deserve, that we might be

treated as He deserves. He was condemned

for our sins, in which He had no share, that

we might be justified by His righteousness,

in which we had no share. He suffered the

death which was ours, that we might re-

ceive the life which was His. 'With His

stripes we are healed.'

"—Ibid.,

p. 25.

11.

What other details of this

prophecy were recognized as fulfilled

in the experience of the Suffering

One? Isa. 53:9-11. Compare Acts 2:

23; Matt. 27:57-60.

NoTE.—Among other comparisons, the

following should be noted:

(1) "He made His grave with the wicked,

and with the rich in His death." See Matt.

27:57-60. (2) "There was no deceit in His

mouth" (R.S.V.). See 1 Peter 2:22. (3) "It

pleased the Lord to bruise Him." See Rom.

8:32. (4) "He shall see His seed." See John

1:12. (5) "He shall prolong His days" de-

spite His death on the cross. See Heb. 7:16,

R.S.V.; Rev. 1:18. (6) "The will of the

Lord shall prosper in His hand" (R.S.V.).

See Matt. 26:42; John 17:4. (7) "He shall

see of the travail of His soul, and shall be

satisfied." See Heb. 12:2.

The Gracious Work of the Saviour

12.

What work would the Spirit of

God empower Christ to do? What

application did Jesus make of this

prophecy? Isa. 61:1; Luke 4:18-21.

NOTE.—"The sixty-first chapter of Isaiah

testifies that Christ was to do the very work

did."—The Desire of Ages,

page 458.

"The Lord shall arise upon thee, and

His glory shall be seen upon thee.' [Isaiah

60:2.] Christ, the outshining of the Father's

glory, came to the world as its light. He

came to represent God to men, and of Him

it is written that He was anointed 'with the

Holy Ghost and with power,' and 'went

about doing good.'

"—Prophets and Kings,

page 718.

13.

How did Isaiah refer to the

work and saving grace and the judg-

ment of God? Isa. 61:1, 2. Compare

Luke 4:19.

Lesson 11, for March 14, 1964

Christ in Daniel and Some of the Minor Prophets

MEMORY VERSE:

"Behold,

I will send

you

Elijah the prophet before the coming of

the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the

fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest

come and smite the earth with a curse." Mal. 4:5, 6.

STUDY HELPS:

"Prophets and Kings," pages 499, 500, 503-513; "The Great Con-

troversy," page 425 (1950 subscription ed., pp. 418-420), and chapter 28.

AIM:

To present the unfolding of the Messianic hope in Daniel and certain of the

minor prophets and to emphasize the fact that, just as John called the people

to repentance before the first coming of Christ, there will be a great work of

revival and reformation before the second advent.

DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD

Check Here

Sabbath afternoon: General survey.

❑

Sunday: Questions 1-3.



❑

Monday: Questions 4-7.



❑

Tuesday: Questions 8-10



❑

Wednesday: Questions 11-13• begin

Check Here

reading study helps.



❑

Thursday: Finish reading study

helps.

Friday: Review entire lesson.

Lesson Outline

Introduction

I. The Coming Kingdom of Christ

History in outline. Dan. 2:31-35.

Empires rise and fall. Dan. 2:34,

43, 44.

Unending dominion. Dan. 2:44;

2 Tim. 4:1.

II. "The . . . Fourth Is Like the Son of

God"

The fire that did not destroy. Dan.

3:23-25, first part.

The form of the fourth. Dan.

3:25, last part.

III. An Awesome Judgment Scene

6. The Ancient of Days and the Son

of man. Dan. 7:9, 10, 13.

7. The two phases of judgment.

Luke 19:12-15.

IV. The Plan of Salvation Vindicated

8. A time prediction. Dan. 8:13, 14, 27.

9. Reckoning the time. Dan. 9:24, 25.

10. A cleansing and its meaning. Dan.

8:14; Heb. 8:1, 2.

V. Events Connected With the Coming

of the Lord

11. Things that might have been.

Zech. 14:1-4.

12. Revival in power. Mal. 4:5, 6, first

part.

13. Reform and judgment. Mal. 4:2, 6.

THE LESSON

The Coming Kingdom of Christ

1. By what symbol did God present

to Nebuchadnezzar the course of

world history from his day to the

end of time? Dan. 2:31-35.

Introduction

Daniel and the twelve minor prophets

make their contribution to the increasingly

clear portrayal of Messiah throughout the

Old Testament, but in this lesson we can

deal only with parts of Daniel, Zechariah,

and Malachi.

Daniel was "greatly beloved" of God.

See Dan. 10:11;

The Great Controversy,

page 470.

Zechariah, doubtless born during Baby-

lonian captivity, encouraged the harrassed

temple builders and pictured a glorious

future. A century later Malachi spoke of

a messenger of God preparing men for the

great day of the Lord.

NorE.—The succession of empires is thus

depicted: (1) According to Daniel 2:38, the

dominion of Babylon had come to the king

by God's grant. (See verses 37, 38; Jer.

27:5-7.) (2) In Daniel

:39 (compare chap-

ter 8:20) we read that the Medo-Persian

Empire was to succeed the Chaldean; (3)

in Daniel 2:39 (compare chapter 8:21),

[ 38 ]

that the Persians were to give way to the

Grecians; (4) and in Daniel 2:40, and 9:26,

that the fourth empire is evidently Rome.

What was to occur in the days of

the divided world after the fourth

kingdom passed away? Dan. 2:34,

43, 44.

NoTE.—This passing of empires marks

the progress of history toward the establish-

ment of the kingdom of Christ. In this

sense Christ's kingdom is the goal of history,

and He is therefore visible to the eye of

faith. See

Prophets and Kings,

pages 499,

500.

When is the "kingdom which

shall never be destroyed" to be es-

tablished? Whose kingdom is it? Dan.

2:44; 2 Tim. 4:1.

NOTE.—The Bible plainly declares that

the kingdom of God was still future at the

time of our Lord's last Passover. Matt.

26:29. Christ did not set up the kingdom

before His ascension. Acts 1:6. We read

further that "flesh and blood cannot in-

herit the kingdom of God." 1 Cor. 15:50. It

is a matter of promise to the apostles, and

to all those who love God. James 2:5. It

is promised in the future to the little flock.

Luke 12:32.

"The . . . Fourth Is Like the

Son of God"

What did the astonished Nebu-

chadnezzar see when he looked into

the fiery furnace where he had cast

the three young Hebrews? Dan. 3:

23-25, first part.

NOTE.—"Four men loose, walking in the

midst of the fire, and they have no hurt."

This was a dramatic fulfillment of God's

promise to the Hebrews: "When thou walk-

est through the fire, thou shalt not be

burned." Isa. 43:2.

To whom did Nebuchadnezzar

liken the fourth figure in the furnace?

Dan. 3:25, last part.

NOTE.—"How did that heathen king know

what the Son of God was like? The He-

brew captives . . . had in life and char-

acter represented before him the truth. . . .

They had told of Christ, the Redeemer to

come; and in the form of the fourth in the

midst of the fire the king recognized the Son

God."—Prophets and Kings,

page 509.

An Awesome Judgment Scene

What scene was shown to Daniel

in his vision of the Ancient of Days

and the Son of man? Dan. 7:9, 10, 13.

NOTE.—"Thus was presented to the

prophet's vision the great and solemn day

when the characters and the lives of men

should pass in review before the Judge of

all the earth, and to every man should be

rendered 'according to his works.' The An-

cient of Days is God the Father. Says the

psalmist: 'Before the mountains were

brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed

the earth and the world, even from ever-

lasting to everlasting, Thou art God.' Psalm

90:2. It is He, the source of all being, and

the fountain of all law, that is to preside

in the judgment."—The

Great Controversy,

page 479.

How is the receiving of the

eternal kingdom by Christ represented

in the parable of the nobleman? Luke

19:12-15.

NOTE.—"Christ had received His king-

dom, having made the atonement for His

people and blotted out their sins. The sub-

jects of the kingdom were made up. The

marriage of the Lamb was consummated.

And the kingdom, and the greatness of the

kingdom under the whole heaven, was given

to Jesus and the heirs of salvation."—Early

Writings,

page 280.

The Plan of Salvation

•

Vindicated

8. What extended time prophecy

concerning the sanctuary was not un-

derstood by Daniel? Dan. 8:13, 14, 27.

[

39]

Nom.—"The cleansing of the heavenly

sanctuary comprehends the entire work of

final judgment, beginning with the investi-

gative phase and ending with the executive

phase, which results in the permanent eradi-

cation of sin from the universe.

"A significant feature of the final judg-

ment is the vindication of God's character

before all the intelligences of the universe."

—S.D.A. Bible Commentary,

on Dan. 8:14.

Compare Rev. 15:3; 16:5, 7.

From what significant event is

the 2,300-day prophecy to be dated?

Dan. 9:24, 25.

10.

How is the cleansing of the

heavenly sanctuary in 1844 to be un-

derstood? Who is its central figure?

Dan. 8:14; Heb. 8:1, 2.

Nom.—"As the typical cleansing of the

earthly was accomplished by the removal

of the sins by which it had been polluted,

so the actual cleansing of the heavenly is

to be accomplished by the removal, or blot-

ting out, of the sins which are there re-

corded. But before this can be accom-

plished, there must be an examination of the

books of record to determine who, through

repentance of sin and faith in Christ, are

entitled to the benefits of His atonement.

The cleansing of the sanctuary therefore in-

volves a work of investigation—a work of

judgment. . . .

"While the investigative judgment is go-

ing forward in heaven, while the sins of

penitent believers are being removed from

the sanctuary, there is to be a special work

of purification, of putting away of sin,

among God's people upon earth. This work

is more clearly presented in the messages

of Revelation

14."—The Great Controversy,

pages 421-425.

Events Connected With the

Coming of the Lord

11.

How does Zechariah set forth

events to be fulfilled preparatory to

the establishment of the Messianic

kingdom? Zech. 14:1-4.

Nom.—Many statements in Zechariah 14

clearly refer to God's plan for Israel to en-

lighten the earth in preparation for the

Messiah's kingdom. How all of this would

have been fulfilled we do not know. But at

the close of the thousand years "the Lord

my God shall come, and all the saints with

Thee." "And His feet shall stand in that

day upon the Mount of Olives, which is be-

fore Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount

of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof,

. . . and there shall be a very great valley."

"And the Lord shall be King over all the

earth: in that day shall there be one Lord,

and His name one." Zech. 14:5, 4, 9.

12.

Who is to appear "before the

coming of the great and dreadful day

of the Lord"? What work of revival

will be accomplished? Mal. 4:5, 6,

first part.

Nom.—This prophecy led to a Jewish ex-

pectancy of Elijah in person, as when they

asked John the Baptist, "Art thou Elias?"

John 1:21. The angel's words to Zacharias

apply this prophecy to John: "Many of the

children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord

their God. And he shall go before Him in

the spirit and power of Elias." Luke 1:

16, 17.

"Today, in the spirit and power of Elias

and of John the Baptist, messengers of

God's appointment are calling the atten-

tion of a judgment-bound world to the

solemn events soon to take place in connec-

tion with the closing hours of probation and

the appearance of Christ Jesus as King of

kings and Lord of

lords."—Prophets and

Kings,

page 716.

13.

How does Malachi, in his clos-

ing verses, contrast the fate of the

wicked and the destiny of the righ-

teous? Mal. 4:2, 6.

NoTE.—"Smite the earth with a curse."

"The OT closes with this solemn warning.

Those who do not truly repent must be

numbered with the wicked and suffer their

fate (Mal. 4:1). Nevertheless, Malachi pre-

sents a message of hope, for the same God

who destroys the guilty brings everlasting

`healing' (v. 2) to the repentant."—S.D.A.

Bible Commentary,

on Mal. 4:6.

[ 40

Lesson 12, for March 21, 1964

The Victorious Christ in the Book of Revelation

MEMORY VERSE:

"He hath on His vesture

and

on His thigh a name written, King

of kings, and Lord of lords." Rev. 19:16.

STUDY HELPS:

"The Desire of Ages," pages 739, 740, 832; "Testimonies," vol. 9,

pp. 267-269; "The Great Controversy," pages 333, 334, 426, 427, 641-644,

(1950 subscription ed., pp. 327, 328, 420-422, 632-635); "Early Writings,"

pages 285-288; "S.D.A. Bible Commentary."

AIM:

To discover Christ as the central figure in the last book of the Bible, where

He is presented as the Victor in the agelong conflict between good and evil.

DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD

Check Here

Sabbath afternoon: General survey.

❑

Sunday: Questions 1-5.



❑

Monday: Questions 6, 7.



❑

Tuesday: Questions 8-10.



❑

Wednesday: Questions 9-13;

Check

Here

begin reading study helps.



❑

Thursday: Finish reading study

helps.

Friday: Review entire lesson.

Lesson Outline

Introduction

I. The Second Coming of Christ

Apparent to

all. Rev. 1:7, first part.

Lamented by many. Rev. 1:7,

second part.

II. The Worship of the Lamb

"Who is worthy?" Rev. 5:1-4.

"Behold, the Lion." Rev. 5:5-7.

"Worthy is the Lamb." Rev. 5:9-13.

III. The Imminent Return

6. Events under the sixth seal. Rev.

6:12, 13.

7. Reactions of the unprepared. Rev.

6:14-17.

IV. The Return in Glory

8. The Reaper. Rev. 14:14.

9. The harvest. Rev. 14:15, 16.

10. The two groups. Rev. 14:16-20.

V. The King of Kings

11. The marriage of the Lamb. Rev.

19:7, 8.

12. The Rider on the white horse. Rev.

19:11.

13. The conquering King. Rev.

19:13-16.

THE LESSON

of the all-merciful One, silently, patiently

working out the counsels of His own will'

(Ed

173)."—S.D.A. Bible Commentary, vol.

p. 724.

The Second Coming of Christ

1. What important announcement

is made early in the book of Revela-

tion? Rev. 1:7, first part.

[41

]

Introduction

The Greek noun rendered "apocalypse"

means a revelation, a disclosure, an unveil-

ing. "Here more completely than elsewhere

in Holy Writ the curtain that separates the

invisible from the visible is drawn aside in

order to reveal, 'behind, above, and through

all the play and counterplay of human in-

terests and power and passions, the agencies

NoTE.—"The second coming of Christ is

the goal toward which all else moves for-

ward. Significantly, he uses the present

tense, 'He cometh,' thereby stressing the

certainty of the event, perhaps also with a

sense of its imminence."—S.D

.A. Bible Com-

mentary,

on Rev. 1:7.

How is the lament of the lost

expressed in this connection? What

lesson should men learn from this

lament? Rev. 1:7, second part. Com-

pare Jer. 8:20; Zech. 12:10.

NOTE.—"I do not wonder that worldlings

and half-Christians have no love for this

doctrine, or that they hate to hear about

Christ's speedy coming. It is the death knell

of their gaieties and pleasures—the turning

of their confidence to consternation—the

conversion of their songs to shrieks of hor-

ror and despair. There is a day coming,

when 'the loftiness of man shall be bowed

down, and the haughtiness of man shall be

made low.'"—J. A. Seiss,

The Apocalypse,

ninth ed., vol. 1, pp. 57, 58.

The Worship of the Lamb

What question was asked con-

cerning the scroll in the right hand

of "Him that sat on the throne"?

What effect did the lack of an an-

swer have on John? Rev. 5:1-4.

NOTE.—" 'His blood be on us, and on our

children.' Matt. 27:24, 25. Thus the Jewish

leaders made their choice. Their decision

was registered in the book which John saw

in the hand of Him that sat upon the

throne, the book which no man could

open."—Christ's Object Lessons,

page 294.

In answer to his sorrow, to what

dramatic scene was John directed?

Rev. 5:5-7.

NOTE.—"The imposing names which the

Old Testament gave to the Messiah—the

Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of

David (Gen. 49; Isa. 11)—are fulfilled in

Christ. He has conquered. . . . Jesus Christ

is absolute victor; for in this one word the

Apocalypse always sums up His whole sav-

ing work."—Hans Lilje,

The Last Book of

the Bible,

pages 114, 115.

What song was sung by the el-

ders who fell down to worship the

Lamb? By an innumerable throng of

angels? By every created being? Rev.

5:9-13.

NorE.—"As the nations of the saved look

upon their Redeemer and behold the

eternal glory of the Father shining in His

countenance; as they behold His throne,

which is from everlasting to everlasting,

and know that His kingdom is to have no

end, they break forth in rapturous song:

`Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was

slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His

own most precious blood !'

"—The Great

Controversy,

pages 651, 652.

The Imminent Return

What events transpire under the

opening of the sixth seal? Rev. 6:

12, 13.

NOTE.—The great earthquake of Lisbon,

November 1, 1755, and the darkening of the

sun and of the moon, May 19, 1780, are

also foretold in Joel 2:31. (See

The Great

Controversy,

page 308.) The falling of the

stars in 1833 was the last of these signs.

Compare Christ's words in Matthew 24:29.

"Christ had bidden His people watch for

the signs of His advent, and rejoice as they

should behold the tokens of their coming

King. 'When these things begin to come to

pass,' He said, 'then look up, and lift up

your heads; for your redemption draweth

nigh.'

"—The Great Controversy,

page 308.

How will the great men of earth

react to the physical upheavals which

attend the second advent? Rev. 6:

14-17.

NOTE.—"Wrath." Men who knew and re-

jected Jesus on earth as the meek and

lowly One, realize that they will meet Him

now as the King of kings, and Judge of all

men. Terror will reign over the whole earth,

while the foundations of life are crumbling

in this catastrophic scene.

"We stand between the 13th and 14th

142 ]

verses of this chapter. We wait for the

heavens to depart as a scroll when it is rolled

together. These are times of unparalleled

solemnity and importance, for we do not

know how near we may be to the fulfill-

ment of these things."—Uriah Smith,

Daniel

and the Revelation

(revised ed., p. 449.

Compare Heb. 12:25-27; Rev. 16:17.

The Return in Glory

For what epochal event does the

third angel's message prepare the

world? Rev. 14:14.

NOTE.—"Soon appeared the great white

cloud, upon which sat the Son of man.

When it first appeared in the distance, this

cloud looked very small. The angel said

that it was the sign of the Son of man. As

it drew nearer the earth, we could behold

the excellent glory and majesty of Jesus

as He rode forth to conquer. A retinue of

holy angels, with bright, glittering crowns

upon their heads, escorted Him on His way.

No language can describe the glory of the

scene. The living cloud of majesty and un-

surpassed glory came still nearer, and we

could clearly behold the lovely person of

Jesus. He did not wear a crown of thorns,

but a crown of glory rested upon His holy

brow. Upon His vesture and thigh was a

name written, King of kings, and Lord of

lords."—Early

Writings,

pages 286, 287.

What great work is done among

the nations by our Lord when He

comes in the clouds of glory? Rev.

14:15, 16.

NOTE.—" 'He that sat on the cloud,' says

the prophecy, 'thrust in His sickle on the

earth; and the earth was reaped.' By this

language we are carried past the second

advent, with its accompanying scenes of

destruction to the wicked and salvation to

the righteous. Beyond these scenes we must

therefore look for the application of the

following verses."—Daniel

and the Revela-

tion,

revised ed., p. 678.

10.

What two phases of the world's

harvest are brought to view in the

actions of the Son of man and the two

angels who come out of the heavenly

temple? Rev. 14:16-20.

NoTE.—Verses 16 and 17, dealing with the

gathering of the righteous, is represented by

the wheat in the parable of Matthew 13:

25-30. Verses 18 to 20 refer to the wicked

under the figure of clusters of fully ripe

grapes. These are the tares of the above-

mentioned parable.

The King of Kings

11.

Under what figure is Christ's

acceptance of His kingdom portrayed?

Rev. 19:7, 8. Compare Matthew 22:

1-14.

NOTE.—"The

marriage of the Lamb."

saw that while Jesus was in the most holy

place he would be married to the New

Jerusalem; and after His work should be

accomplished in the holiest, He would de-

scend to the earth in kingly power and take

to Himself the precious ones who had

patiently waited His return."—Early

Writ-

ings,

page 251.

12.

By what name is the Lord Jesus

Christ called as the Rider on the white

horse? Rev. 19:11.

NOTE.—"Faithful and True."

"Several de-

tails in the first verses of this vision are

influenced by the Old Testament. Thus the

name of Christ as 'Faithful and True'

(verse 11) ; he assumes the Hebrew name

Emeth (faithfulness) and

Amen.

The first

name is one of the most beautiful titles ap-

plied to God in the Old Testament. The

rabbis called it the 'Seal of God,' because

this word, consisting of three letters, com-

prised the first, the middle, and the last

letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Thus Christ

is the beginning and the end of the ways

of God, or—as the Apocalypse expresses it

elsewhere—Alpha and Omega."—Hans Lilje,

The Last Book of the Bible,

page 244.

13.

What supreme title appears on

the vesture of our Lord as He rides

forth with the avenging armies of

heaven? Rev. 19:13-16.

NoTE.—King of kings.

"When Christ shall

come to the earth again, not as a prisoner

( 43 3

surrounded by a rabble will men see Him.

They will see Him then as heaven's King.

Christ will come in His own glory, in the

glory of His Father, and the glory of the

holy angels. Ten thousand times ten thou-

sand, and thousands of thousands of angels,

the beautiful and triumphant sons of God,

possessing surpassing loveliness and glory,

will escort Him on His

way."—The Desire

of Ages,

page 739.

Lesson 13, for March 28, 1964

We Have Found the Messiah

MEMORY VERSE:

"He

first

findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We

have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ." John 1:41.

STUDY HELPS:

"The Desire of Ages," pages 476-484; "S.D.A. Bible Commentary."

AIM:

To gather up some of the remaining specific prophecies identifying Messiah,

and to lead to acceptance of Jesus as our personal Redeemer.

DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD

Check Here

Sabbath afternoon: General survey.

❑

Wednesday:



Questions 9-12.

❑

Sunday: Questions 1-3.

❑

Thursday:



Read study helps.

❑

Monday: Questions 4-6.

❑

Friday:



Review entire lesson.

❑

Tuesday:



Questions 7, 8.

❑

Lesson Outline

Introduction

I. Christ the Central Theme of the

Scriptures

The source of information. John

5:39, 40.

The birthplace of the coming Ruler.

Micah 5:2.

The new covenant. Heb. 8:1, 2,

6-10.

II. Some Titles and Works of the

Messiah

Three offices in one Person. Deut.

18:15; Ps. 110:4; Zech. 9:9.

Miraculous works. Isa. 42:7; Luke

4:18.

6. Resurrection and redemption. Job

19:25, 26; Ps. 17:15; John 11:25.

III. The Crucifixion of Christ in

Prophecy

7. Betrayed for the price of a slave.

Matt. 26:15; 27:9; Zech. 11:12, 13.

8. Treated as a criminal. Isa. 53:7;

50:6; 53:5; Ps. 22:7, 8; 69:21.

IV. Post-Crucifixion Events

9. The ascension. Ps. 2:6, 7; 68:18;

110:1, 4.

10. The return of the King. Ezek.

21:27.

V. "Lord and Christ"

11. Accredited by God. Acts 2:22, 36.

12. Accepted by men. John 1:41.

THE LESSON

Peter met the Roman centurion, Cornelius,

and in brief terms traced the leading facts

of the life, work, and death of Christ, he

added, 'To Him give all the prophets wit-

ness.' The apostle Peter was right. There

are four hundred and fifty-six references in

the Old Testament to the Messiah and Mes-

sianic times."—Aaron J. Kligerman,

Mes-

Introduction

Perhaps no exact count of the Old Testa-

ment references to the Messiah can be made,

because they are direct and indirect, obvi-

ous and obscure, according to the believer's

perception. A well-known Christian of Jew-

ish background says: "When the apostle

sianic Prophecy in the Old Testament,

page

140.

Christ the Central Theme of the

Scriptures

What fact stated by Jesus reveals

the necessity of searching the Scrip-

tures? John 5:39, 40.

NoTE.—"You search the Scriptures, be-

cause you think that in them you have

eternal life; and it is they that bear wit-

ness to Me; yet you refuse to come to Me

that you may have life." R.S.V.

"It was Christ that spoke to His people

through the prophets. The apostle Peter,

writing to the Christian church, says that

the prophets 'prophesied of the grace that

should come unto you: searching what, or

what manner of time the

Spirit of Christ

which was in them did signify, when it

testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ

and the glory that should follow.' 1 Peter

1:10, 11. It is the voice of Christ that

speaks to us through the Old Testament."—

Patriarchs and Prophets,

pages 366, 367.

In what words did the Scriptures

foretell the birthplace of the Messiah?

Micah 5:2.

NoTE.—"Although founded by a descend-

ant of the heroic Caleb (1 Chron. 2:50, 51),

and in the times of the judges for seven years

the seat of Ibzan the judge (Judges 12:

8-10), in the centuries before David Beth-

lehem Ephratah (House of Bread, the fruit-

ful) enters the history of Israel only with

a very inglorious reputation, connected in-

deed with death and mourning (Gen. 35:

19, 20), idolatry (Judges 17:7ff.), immoral-

ity, fratricidal strife (Judges 19 to 21), and

famine (Ruth 1:1). But it was from this

very city that God, who always conde-

scends to the lowly, chose for Himself the

ancestor of the Messiah; and thus Bethle-

hem Ephratah, as David's city, became the

place in which 'Christ the Lord' should be

born (Mic. 5:2; Luke 2:11) ."—Erich Sauer,

Dawn

of World Redemption,

page 159.

How is the new covenant men-

tioned in Jeremiah 31:31-33 related to

Christ's heavenly ministry? Heb. 8:1,

2, 6-10.

NOTE.—Through our faith in His sacrifice

on the cross and ministry in the true taber-

nacle, Christ writes His laws on human

hearts. The Gentiles were included in this

covenant work of the Messiah. Sanctified

people in the Old Testament experienced the

new covenant. Isa. 49:6-9.

"Though this covenant was made with

Adam and renewed to Abraham, it could

not be ratified until the death of Christ. It

had existed by the promise of God since the

first intimation of redemption had been

given; it had been accepted by faith; yet

when ratified by Christ, it is called a

new

covenant."—Patriarchs and Prophets,

pages

370, 371.

Some Titles and Works of the

Messiah

What three high offices in Israel

were united in Jesus? Deut. 18:15;

Ps. 110:4; Zech. 9:9. Compare John

6:14; Heb. 5:6; Matt. 21:5.

NOTE.—"In Messianic prophecy the term

[Christ] came to be applied specifically to

the

Messiah, who, as Prophet (Deut 18:15),

Priest (Zec 6:11-14), and King (Is 9:6, 7),

was the One ordained to be the Redeemer

of the world."—S.D.A.

Bible Dictionary,

page 192.

What prophecy indicates the

work of the Messiah? Isa. 42:7; Luke

4:18. Compare John 9:39.

NoTE.—"Every miracle that Christ per-

formed was a sign of His divinity. He was

doing the very work that had been fore-

told of the Messiah. . . . The greatest sig-

nificance of His miracles is seen in the fact

that they were for the blessing of human-

ity. The highest evidence that He came

from God is that His life revealed the char-

acter of God. He did the works and spoke

the words of God. Such a life is the great-

est of all miracles."—The

Desire of Ages,

pages 406, 407.

How did the various Old Testa-

ment writers express faith in the re-

demption of body and soul through

a resurrection from the dead? Job

19:25, 26; Ps. 17:15; John 11:25.

45 1

NOTE.-"My

redeemer. . . .

This text

[Job 19:25] represents one of the OT reve-

lations of God as man's redeemer, a pro-

found truth that was fully revealed to men

in the person and mission of Jesus Christ.

"The latter day. . . .

The wording of vs.

25 and 26 indicates that the divine vindica-

tion would take place when God would

`stand . . . upon the earth' and when Job

would 'see God.' This is an unmistakable

glimpse of the resurrection."—S.D.A.

Bible

Commentary,

on Job 19:25.

The Crucifixion of Christ in

Prophecy

For what price was our Lord be-

trayed? Matt. 26:15; 27:9; Zech. 11:

12, 13.

NoTE.—Zechariah 11 is a warning to

Israel not to turn against God's leadership

and forsake His covenant. "Give me my

price," says Zechariah, speaking for

the

Shepherd of Israel. The niggardly price

weighed out is thirty shekels. Christians

have always connected this prophecy with

the betrayal price paid to Judas.

"For thirty pieces of silver—the price of

a slave—he sold the Lord of glory to

ignominy and death. .. . The love of mam-

mon overbalanced his love for Christ"—

The Desire of Ages,

page 716.

How were certain predictions

fulfilled in the trial of Jesus? Isa.

53:7 (compare Matt. 26:63); Isa. 50:6;

53:5; Ps. 22:7, 8 (compare Matt. 26:

67; 27:26); Ps. 69:21 (compare John

19:28, 29).

NoTE.—When the direct prophecies com-

prising the Messianic picture are studied in

the light of their fulfillment, the devout

student can often see relevance in other Old

Testament statements that may not in

themselves be directly Messianic in nature.

Events at first not understood take on new

significance to him who has recognized the

Christ on the cross as the Messiah.

Post-Crucifixion Events

How does the psalmist refer to

the ascension and priesthood of

Christ? Ps. 2:6, 7; 68:18; 110:1, 4.

NorE.—Psalm 2 is shown by Acts 3:30-33

to be a Messianic prophecy. (See lesson 9.)

Paul in Ephesians 4:8-10 applies Psalm

68:18 to Christ's ascension "far above all

heavens." Psalm 110 is a great Messianic

psalm which presents Christ as eternal

Priest and King. This can be realized only

through the resurrection, "when He [God]

raised Him from the dead, and set Him

at His own right hand in the heavenly

places, far above all principality, and power,

and might, and dominion." Eph. 1:20, 21.

10.

What did the prophet Ezekiel

say would be Israel's experience until

the coming of the rightful King to

claim the kingdom? Ezek. 21:27.

NOTE.—"Not until Christ Himself should

set up His kingdom was Judah again to be

permitted to have a king. 'I will overturn,

overturn, overturn, it,' was the divine edict

concerning the throne of the house of

David; 'and it shall be no more, until He

come whose right it is; and I will give it

Him.'

"—Prophets and Kings,

page 451.

"Lord and Christ"

11.

How did Peter show that Jesus

of Nazareth was the Messiah? Acts

2:22, 36.

NoTE.—"Some of these pilgrims [in Jeru-

salem at festivals] were men of fervent

piety and earnest students of the prophecies.

They were looking and longing for the

advent of the promised Messiah, the hope

of Israel. . . . Faithfully and wisely they

[the apostles] labored, testifying of the

things they had seen and heard, and appeal-

ing to 'a more sure word of prophecy' (2

Peter 1:19), in an effort to persuade 'the

house of Israel . . . that God hath made

that same Jesus, whom' the Jews 'crucified,

both Lord and Christ.'

"—The Acts of the

Apostles,

page 165.

12.

What conclusion did John and

Andrew come to after only brief con-

tact with Jesus? John 1:41.

NoTE.—"If John and Andrew had pos-

sessed the unbelieving spirit of the priests

and rulers, they would not have been found

[ 46 ]

as learners at the feet of Jesus. They would

have come to Him as critics, to judge His

words. Many thus close the door to the

most precious opportunities. But not so

did these first disciples. They had responded

to the Holy Spirit's call in the preaching of

John the Baptist. Now they recognized the

voice of the heavenly Teacher. To them the

words of Jesus were full of freshness and

truth and beauty. A divine illumination

was shed upon the teaching of the Old

Testament Scriptures. The many-sided

themes of truth stood out in new light."—

The Desire of Ages,

page 139.

THIRTEENTH SABBATH OFFERING

March 28, 1964

SOUTH AMERICAN DIVISION

The fleet of medical mission launches on the rivers of South America

has become an established feature of missionary work in that great land.

Thousands of people along the Amazon and its tributaries hail the

coming of the mission launch as their only hope of receiving help for

their many physical afflictions. It is also their only hope for hearing the

gospel, for the launch workers preach and teach as well as heal.

A part of the overflow this quarter will be used to help equip these

mission launches better, so that they may do an even greater work than

in the past.

The rest of the overflow will be used to establish a boarding academy

in the North Brazil Union, eighteen miles from the city of Belem at

the mouth of the Amazon River, where a few years ago overflow funds

helped to establish a mission hospital.

Won't you give a generous offering on March 28 so that there may

be a good overflow for these two worthy projects?

Lessons for the Second Quarter of 1964

Sabbath school members who have failed to receive a senior

Lesson Quarterly

for the second quarter of 1964 will be helped by the following outline in studying

the first lesson. The title of the lessons for the quarter is, "Selected Lessons From

the Psalms." The title of the first lesson is "Introduction to the Psalms." The

memory verse is Psalm 95:1, 2. The texts to be studied are:

Ques. 1. Luke 24:44.

Ques. 2. Meaning of the word

Psalm:

song to be sung to musical accompani-

ment."

Ques. 3. Superscriptions to Psalms 3 ;

81; 90.

Ques 4. 1 Sam. 16:15-23.

Ques. 5. 1 Chron. 23:5.

Ques. 6. 2 Sam. 23:1.

Ques. 7. Circumstances under which

psalms were written. Superscriptions

to Psalms 3; 18; 30; 34; 51; 52; 54.

Ques. 8. A form of poetry.

Ques. 9. Various types of psalms:

Nature: Psalms 8; 19; 29; 104.

Historical: Psalms 46; 68; 79; 106;

107.

Messianic: Psalms 2 ; 22 ; 69 ; 72 ; 110.

Ques. 10. Ps. 28:1, 2, 6, 7; 34:3-7.

Ques. 11. Luke 20:42; Acts 1:16, 20.

Ques. 12. Mark 12:36 ; Acts 1:16 ;

4:24, 25.

SOUTH AMERICAN DIVISION'

•

UNION MISSION

POPULATION

CHURCHES

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AUSTRAL U.C.

3 064,399

174

24,099

EAST BRAZIL U.C.

31,860,000

123

21,455

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1 ,510,866

124

31,486

NO. BRAZIL U.N.

9,881,012

6,697

SO. BRAZIL U.C.

19,087,337

168

44,379

DIVISION TOTALS

111,403,614

622

128,116

SS. MEM

ATLANTIC OCEAN

PROJECTS:

To Establish a Boarding Academy for.

the Youth of North BroxiL

151,845

2. To Better Equip Our Medical Launches,

and Improve our Medical Work

the

North Brasil Union.

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